Instructions Not Included
by Erissianne
Summary: Cynthia has no idea why she's here, or if this is even real, but she has no intentions of waiting around for the train wreck of drama to hit Mystic Falls. No one needs to die to save precious Elena. Hopefully somewhere in the process, she can find her way home again. {Starts at the end of 1x02, features slow burn romance, open to suggestions.}
1. Chapter 1

Waking up chilly was the worst. Being in bed should have allowed her to be in a cocoon of warmth, even if her face was cold the rest of her body should be toasty. But not today. Light was pressing against her eyelids, and it appeared that she had managed to toss out of most of her blankets over the course of the night.

Again.

Oh, she was so not looking forward to finding out how much her hair had been mussed up from a night of poor sleep and stranger dreams. All that Cynthia could really remember was the image of a metal cage closing down on her, adrenaline, and a murmuring about _fraulein._ Shaking off the already fragmented memory, Cynthia kicked the knotted bed sheets off of her. If she was going to be awake, then she might as well get up and make tea.

The girl was halfway out of bed, one leg dangling over the side and her right hand curling into a pillow for support, when she froze. Her brain had finally caught up enough to register that the setting was unfamiliar. More to the point, her body wasn't quite right either. Accustomed to pink undertones and Irish paleness, the healthy looking tan that crossed her limbs and stomach was horribly wrong.

Her eyes flitted around the room, cataloging things clinically. The furniture was nice, borderline antique but not in the style of her parents' furniture, or her grandmother's. Unless her parents had changed their attitudes drastically in the past few years that they had been out of contact, then this wasn't their home.

And let's face it, a college dropout like her didn't exactly have the funds to afford even renting this room alone. Which, given all of the clothes and belongings she could see looked distinctly feminine, alone was precisely what she was.

This had better just be another dream. It had happened before, she reminded herself as she finally stood up. Pinching herself hard, Cynthia stared at her wrist critically. She had felt that, which just meant this dream was being obnoxiously clever. Reality itself could be considered a figment of the imagination after all.

Or at least, it could be according to TV shows and the occasional (questionable) evolutionary psychologist. Cynthia had read a theory once that the reason humans get so attached to TV characters and celebrities is that to a Stone Age era mind, any face we saw so frequently without being attacked must be friendly. Of course, it could just be fun wish fulfillment and curiousity, but who was she to say?

Seeing as the room was handily equipped with a mirror, Cynthia decided to see what body she was dreaming herself into this time. She could already tell that she was shorter than normal – the bed practically came up to her hips and it wasn't that tall – but too much else was a mystery.

Cynthia stepped up to – her? Her dream self's? Her dream self's kidnapper's? - the dresser and peered at her reflection. She wasn't entirely disappointed with her mind's creativity, but petite brunette was rather bland. Her skin was mostly clear, which was a blessing, but her face also looked rather young. The girl tugged at her hair, surprised to find it more wavy than the curly she was accustomed to and very much preferred.

General wisdom held that those with straight hair wanted curls, and those with curls want straight hair. General wisdom could go dunk itself. Cynthia was more than happy with her curls, thank you very much. The shoulder length waves she had in her dream body were tolerable, she supposed. Moreso given she didn't really need to look at herself too much. After a beat, she noticed another glaring difference, leaning close enough to the mirror that she might have fallen in to verify that, yes, she had at least given herself a body that did not need glasses or contacts. Brown eyes with a ring of gray was all that looked back at her, not a hint of forgotten contact blue in sight.

Freaking SCORE!

Humming now, Cynthia flounced over to the room's closet. Her dreams – the ones she remembered, anyway – often played out like stories. Sometimes they flowed together, as tonight's seemed to be that story was, she did not intend to find out dressed in just a night shirt. Even if it was comfortable. And even if this closet was stocked with Happy Bunny shirts and far too much black.

Ooooh! Lace gloves! She took back her complaint. Dream!Cynthia could be a goth. With brown hair. And little to no make up skills. Dream!Cynthia would be a terrible goth. She'd just have to go for a 'gives no fucks' attitude.

Meh, whatever. Worrying about clothes was so high school, anyway.

Kitted out in a black lace skirt with a shirt that happily printed 'I am Tiger, Hear me Roar' with a purplish tiger that reminded Cynthia of Cheshire, the girl finally left her dream room. Unless she was much mistaken, it was too warm for a jacket. Never mind that she was wearing the pretty elbow length gloves. They were lace. It so didn't count. It was time to see what this dream was about!

Cynthia skipped through an empty house, pausing only to lace up the first pair of sneakers that fit her. She thought about poking around and seeing if there were photos to give her a sneak peek or a note, but in the end, she decided against it. Her dream didn't need to give her foreshadowing. She'd rather dive straight into the heart of things.

Now that she was no longer in danger of walking outdoors shoeless – and thus turning tonight into a very uncomfortable predicament where try as she might, she couldn't just will shoes on – Cynthia stepped out into dusk. There was a crowd out tonight, clumps of people passing by and all headed the same direction. Seeing nothing better to do, Cynthia followed along. She was happy enough to mill through the crowd.

A slight disquiet had bubbled up, but she wasn't able to pin it down until she actually saw the town square. Was she in Covington? Really? After the horror of her last visit, her mind decided she should come back? Dick move, limbic system and hypothalamus and whatever else. Dick move. The fact the crowd was now all holding candles inside cups to catch the wax barely merited a blink. The comet visible in the sky when she _never_ got to see cool sky things because it always happened at 4:58 in the morning and wasn't even visible from her home? That brought her feet to a stop.

Then, of course, Cynthia just had to see the sign for the Mystic Grill.

Ten points from Gryffindor. Not Covington then, she was dreaming about one of the shows her dad and sister watched. One of the many that Tumblr seemed to be obsessed with too, come to think of it. How disappointing, to dream about vampires and not even her favorite sort.

Well, you can't win everything.

Leaving the crowd, because as pretty as the traveling ball of ice was it wasn't plot material, Cynthia decided to check out one of the few restaurants known to be in town. The Grill had a small clientele currently. A few faces at the pool table, some at the bar, and the rest scattered at booths and tables. The brunette took her time to walk the full floor.

 **"I know you."**

And there she went, walking into a conversation. Or at least the start of one. Deciding she wouldn't have heard it if it wasn't important, Cynthia tracked the voice to a dirty blonde girl with curls that she wanted back and an unmistakeable blue eyed casanova.

 **"Well, that's unfortunate** ," Damon had replied. Cynthia could swear that he was amused. Maybe that was just her.

"Do you only accept one fan girl at a time, or are we taking turns?" She chirped as the other girl stepped forward towards her eventual murderer. This had to be the Donovan girl, seeing as she had a bandage on her neck and there was a comet overhead. Vicki and Caroline were the two girls that Damon fed on and kept alive, that she had a chance of recognizing anyway. And Caroline definitely only needed scarves, not stitches or bandaging like this girl had.

Just like that, two sets of eyes had swiveled to her. Cynthia grinned and waved. Antagonize a dangerous predator, check. No one could top her bucket list. No sirree.

"And who might you be?" Damon asked, a vaguely polite smile on his face. From memory, Cynthia was pretty sure he wasn't unnecessarily cruel except when hunting. But then again, who knew how accurate her memory of a show she hadn't seen in _years_ was.

At the same time, Vicki had fixed her with a disbelieving stare. "Cynthia?"

Ooookay, awks.

"Look," she whispered, twirling to stand next to Damon. "She knows me too. Should we be worried?"

Cynthia knows she saw a smile this time, but she isn't surprised when the vampire vanishes shortly after Vicki does. He had a younger brother to antagonize. And she, come to think of it, had a phone to find. Also, a newspaper would be great. Was she actually dreaming herself into 2009? Or was she awesome enough to ignore that and still keep her iPhone?

Scratch that. Just like with missing shoes, once she noticed something wasn't right it was fixed that way.

Although, come to think of it, what good was a phone when she had no idea who to call? Speed dials? Those were a thing, so possibly. If nothing else, the cops.

Cynthia snorted at that though. 'Yes, hello officer. I antagonized a vampire, and now I'm pretty sure I'm on his menu for tonight. Yes. No, I swear I'm not high.' Yeah, that'd go over real well. Not that dying here would be the worst necessarily, given that she'd either wake up or find herself in a different scenario. There was a significant difference between 'not the worst' and 'something to actively seek' that Cynthia intended to at least pretend to respect though.

Wait.

She hadn't paid a lick of attention to the route she'd taken here. Given that her sense of direction was almost invariably wrong, and she didn't trust Mystic Falls to make it magically better, Cynthia re-evaluated her plans.

Could she find the boarding house and pester the uncle or whatever vampire was there? Not without GPS or a Scooby to follow.

Well, Vicki (?) Donovan knew who she was. So odds were Matt, Jeremy, or Tyler would, right? Cynthia just needed to find a Donovan or a Jeremy, and then she could figure out what her role here was. At least her name hadn't changed. Given how realistic things were, having to answer to a new one would be aggravating.

Now, if she were a fictional character from a teen drama, where would she be hiding on a night like this?

Answer. In the middle of trouble. Cynthia just needed to look for distressed people. Or pink hair and leather jackets, that's also a main character thing, right?

She should so dye her hair pink.

No, focus. One thing at a time, or she'd never get anything done and just be stuck in the town square.

It took a pleasantly short time to find a bubble of drama, no more than ten or so minutes. Apparently a 'Vicki' had been missing and a 'Stefan' had found her.

Double the awkwardness. Er, or should she even be feeling guilt for what happened in a dream based on a tv show based on a book? Surely it was like telephone at this point?

Anyway, being guilty for what happened in a dream was boring.

Flouncing forward – it was so awesome to finally feel comfortable in skirts, thank you college! - Cynthia greeted the broody vampire and blue eyed blonde boy who had just been looking after his sister.

"Matty! Stefan, we meet at last."

Cynthia was going to ignore all the dark questions about things she couldn't control for now. No matter how obnoxious they were.

"Cyn... did you just call me Matty?"

The brunette shrugged. Was she not supposed to? Vicki only thing? Oh well.

"Hi," Stefan, King of Calm Politeness, said softly as if she was not intruding on his brooding time. "I don't believe we've met."

Seriously, Stefan was so polite Cynthia wondered if he had any acting work in his resume. You can keep take the Southern gentleman from his humanity, but you can't take away his manners. The perpetual seventeen year old had held out his hand towards her.

Cynthia accepted his hand, quickling lifting it to playfully brush a kiss across his knuckles as if he were the fair damsel. "I am not," she retorted playfully. "But it is a pleasure to meet you all the same, Mr. Salvatore. I see good looks run in the family."

Yes, she was very much going to enjoy shocking Stefan while she could. He was currently the 'safe' brother. Certainly one she didn't worry about compelling her. That really did seem to take more energy than the Cullen lite diet he was on provided.

Matt was too nice of a kid to put up with her rudeness (thankfully). Since she wasn't doing the job, he took it upon himself to introduce the girl.

"Stefan, this is Cynthia Gilbert. Elena's twin sister. I guess you already know who Stefan is."

Eyes widening, Cynthia did her best to pretend she was not surprised by this. It wasn't like they looked that much alike, aside from their heights. Ugh, why couldn't she be twins with Moose or something?Staring like a deer in headlights wasn't helping her cause much though, so she tacked on, "And still not high!"

"I didn't know Elena was a twin."

Gosh, Stefan, so freaking calm. Could she borrow his zen? Or would that dull her awake. Well, at least she was still shocking him a little. The vampire's pupils had definitely expanded a little too.

"Neither did I," Cynthia told him cheerfully, twirling again to enjoy her skirt and ignoring the bewildered look Matt was giving her. What was with the Donovan's looking shocked by her? Was she not ever suppose to leave the house? Did they have some sort of grudge?

"Hey Cyndy," stop using that name. "Are you gonna come to school tomorrow?"

Ohhhhh, heck no. She was Elena's twin? That made her a high schooler. Freaking seriously!? Cynthia had one degree and had dropped out of another program, and now she had to account for time in this strangely realistic space for high school?

All she could muster was disgust, but Cynthia dredged up a placid smile. "If I must."

"Alright," Matt said slowly. "I'll see you tomorrow then, I guess. I need to look after Vic."

Cynthia followed Matt's gaze through the Grill's front window and nodded in what she hoped was understanding. New face. She needed to break it in if she was going to communicate nonverbally. Matt had just excused himself and left anyway, so too bad if not.

"Speaking of sisters," Reluctant vampire boy was still around. "You wouldn't happen to know where Elena is, would you?"

He was going to ignore all her attempts at shock value in favor of the main character, wasn't he?

"If I know Elena," which she didn't exactly, "then I would hazard she is either home or headed to visit her beau."

Casually leaving off the fact said beau was him, because Stefan should really know if he wanted to date her not sister.

"Things like comets are romantic and excite her writer heart," Cynthia continued. "Or, y'know, you could ask the dream team of Forbes and Bennett."

Yes, she did like addressing people by their last names. Sue her.

Just as the clever idea of asking Stefan to take her home surfaced, he had vanished, presumably to ask said dream team. It wasn't her fault that Elena didn't talk about her awesome not twin. No need to treat her all suspicious-y. Mystic Falls' troubles were only just beginning, but they had nothing to do with _her_.

Dude, middle of a conversation. Leaving like that is sooo not cool or attractive. Just you wait until Elena finds out you ditched her favorite not twin. She'd text her now, except for that minor not sure where the house is problem.

Deciding to not let Stefan stop her, Cynthia started skipping down the street. As long as she didn't get eaten alive by bugs, she was good really. Maybe she'd find the house by accident. The brunette froze mid skip, landing gracelessly much to the complaint of her left ankle. But there had been movement just behind her. When Cynthia turned to look, there was no one there.

The further down the street she went, the closer and heavier the gaze on the back of her neck felt, until finally she pivoted instead of continuing to speed up.

An empty street lit by lamps and lined by parked cars was all that greeted her. Cynthia stood that way for a while, crossing her arms as she glared at her invisible shadow before finally turning back around. And promptly choking on air, because Damon had apparently made it his mission to get up into her personal space.

If she was going to die in this dream, at least her murderer was pretty.

That didn't make the squeak any less embarrassing, of course, or the way she knew her pulse had skyrocketed.

"Whoa, you're a wizard." Cynthia pressed a hand to her chest, trying to control her heart and breathing a bit. "Isn't apparition supposed to make sound? You came out of nowhere, I swear. I... sorry. Babbling."

Never mind she'd been facing away so long he could have walked normally up behind her. Logic has no place here.

"I didn't mean to scare you." Damon's smile was pure darkness.

Cynthia almost giggled. Sure he didn't. "Bit of a shame, that. You'd be good at it." She kept eye contact with him, feeling very much like he was an Angel she couldn't lose track of. (Blink and you're dead.) "So, does this mean it's my turn to fangirl over you? Orrrr was there something else I can help you with? I can offer dinner, but that's about it on short notice. Especially since our siblings are proooobably going to be sucking each other's faces. Nowhere is safe."

Yes, yes she was going to use his indulgence with her chatter boxing to give him a reason not to kill her immediately. Even as she somewhat offered to be a blood bag. Because, let's face it, letting people be killed or brainwashed or whatever when she was here and didn't really mind... that didn't sit well. Even if this version of vampire made feeding look almost entirely unpleasant, Cynthia was pretty sure he didn't have to maul her. Really, it was more the 'make it so easy to be compelled' part that wigged the girl out.

That and the way Damon just stared at her, willing her to keep talking and spill all her secrets.

"Ah, the lovely Elena. The awkward exes conversation must have gone well then."

He was still standing in front of her, and Cynthia wondered if he was trying to keep her in place with the unspoken force field of vampire speed. Or he just liked looking 'unintentionally' intimidating.

Tucking a lock of wavy hair behind her ear, Cynthia grinned up at him as if he was not potentially planning on ripping out her throat. "So, what do you say? Take me home and bond over broody siblings. I'm pretty sure I can make decent cookies if nothing else. Or would us hanging out be too weird this soon? It's only been… what, two days or something?"

The monster in front of her smiled with wicked charm as he offered me an arm, calculations flitting and folding away quickly in his eyes.

"You drive a hard bargain, Miss Gilbert." Heh, wonder when he'd ask/learn/use her first name. "But I think you can convince me."

"Excellent." Because she didn't have a freaking clue. Pretty stalker crow boy was actually not vanishing, this was fantastic. Even if her eyes were starting to water from not blinking. "Not too weird, then? Or is this part where I end up dead in an alley for trusting a stranger?" Cynthia's voice was teasing, even if she was a bit serious. "You know, like in the horror films?"

Not the news. The news was more bombings and gun shootings. Although she supposed in Mystic Falls, Damon's animal attacks genuinely were the headlines.

Small town life was going to be weird to get accustomed to. Mostly, she'd lived in the suburbs of larger cities. A few college towns. Even when she lived in areas people rarely moved in or out of, she had always been on the edge of something larger. Never part of something with so much town involvement as she'd even seen tonight with the comet. Much less a town pageant and whatever else she'd long forgotten from this show.

"Now why would you end up dead? I believe you promised me dessert."

Cynthia snorted, wondering how many meanings were behind that statement.

"It will be hilarious to see Elena's reaction," Cynthia grinned instead of directly replying. "Apparently she didn't mention me _once_ in her five hour or whatever conversation with your little brother. I must be chopped liver."

"Nothing wrong with liver if you know how to prepare it well."

Cynthia stuck out her tongue in a decidedly childish way "What, with onions? Nah, it's just Elena obsesses so much over Jer and now Stefan. 'Dear Diary, today I will pursue wanna be Edward'," she mocked, ignoring the fact she had no idea when Damon learned about glitterpires. She could remember him having a line about Eddie boy being whipped, and maybe Caroline explaining? But meh. Making references people didn't understand wasn't entirely new. And who was to say it wouldn't still happen? All Cynthia could really say was that she had Damon's attention for now.

Presumably, that was what she wanted. No time for regrets. Because one thing was for sure, if she was going to play with the Salvatore boys and the Gilberts, the last thing Cynthia planned to do was stick to the script.

* * *

 **A/N:** Welcome to my little writing experiment. I'm aiming for this to be fun above all. It's really been _way_ too long since I've written. After coming across a few SI/OC insert fics, I decided to dabble with it myself. Also, in case it wasn't obvious, the bolded dialogue was straight from the episode unaltered. I don't intend for there to be much of this. We'll be sticking close-ish to the TVD plotline at first, but Cynthia (and I) both don't want to regurgitate the same old story.

This story is unbetaed. Fair warning for those who choose to continue. This chapter is fairly short, but each chapter hereafter should get progressively longer. I'm currently averaging around 6 thousand words, but this may increase over time.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thank you guys so much for the warm welcome! I'm really glad to see you guys like it so far.

* * *

It was remarkably relaxing, walking with a serial killer who currently possessed or at least acknowledged no remorse. Even the knowledge that he was coming along just to better taunt his brother and make creepy eyes at her not twin didn't rain on Cynthia's parade. Damon was one of her favorite characters, even when he was being overly obvious with his grand evil plans. Bad boys were easy on the eyes and easy to love. That, and he was a darkly romantic figure. So dedicated to one woman for over a century, kept wound so tight that the only other person he let as close into his heart was another doppelganger.

Although, Cynthia was fairly sure there had been other potential love interests. A Nymphadora Tonks look a like and a star reporter. Their faces had blurred somewhat from her memory, hazy much like a host of other characters – people – that she knew might cross paths with her here.

"Sooo, aside from not killing me tonight and that you like dessert, I know terribly little about you. I'm a horrible fangirl."

Damon took her clinging to his arm and speaking so flirtatiously in stride. Little wonder, with his looks, he had to expect it on some level. Maybe not quite to the level she was laying it on, but the man had no reason to suspect just how trusting Cynthia was of him. What seemed like good fortune to Damon was intentionally calculated. Admittedly, to be the most fun and most guilt free for her, but calculated all the same.

He lowered his voice, ice blue eyes piercing and warming Cynthia's in an overly confident and well practiced manner."You forgot the devilishly sexy part."

"Oh, Damon. You're so witty and attractive!" She gasped, pressing her free hand to her chest as she stared right back up to him. "How have I survived this long without you?"

And it was quite the look up. Nina, er, Elena might have been shorter than her brother Jeremy, but Elena was at least average height. Cynthia was, in a (compound) word, fun-sized.

"One of life's true mysteries. I ask myself that question often. How do you people get around in your small little lives?"

Cynthia almost stuck her tongue out at him again. It was a close call. Her desire to answer overrode her first impulse.

"With sugar and chocolate. _Obvious_."

She pulled her hand out from his arm and danced away laughing. As much as Cynthia couldn't stop looking back and grinning at the bemused vampire, this Damon the playing the gentleman was positively gruesome. When Stefan had been stiltedly polite earlier, she had first thought he distrusted her. But perhaps a better way of putting it was that Stefan didn't acknowledge Cynthia as necessarily worth his limited time and energy. The boy was so focused on the face and being of the one he was 'destined' to love or some such.

Evil vampire brother was different. Damon indulged her, because he could, and because he was getting something from their interaction. He no doubt thought he was using her like a tool or a toy. Worse still was that, in a way, Damon truly was. Cynthia was tacitly giving him permission to keep stalking and torturing her not family. She should probably feel bad about it all. It was another reason to try and take Caroline's place as his first walking blood bag in Mystic Falls. A form of penance, given she had no intentions of making something that was inevitable more difficult than necessary, or not capitalizing on them when she could.

Just because this was all only in her head didn't mean it wasn't real.

And it also didn't make it any less awesome. Change all the things! Have all the dream sugar! Hey, if Damon fed from her, then drinking water and having snacks would only be her _duty_ to herself.

The dreamer skipped up the last few yards to the Gilbert house. It had risen like a white knight along the street of unfamiliar houses. Cynthia almost worried that she was approaching the wrong one, since all she really remembered of the house was that it was sided with chipped painted wood and had a not insignificant covered front porch. Damon had been slowing his pace though, and the building in front of her lit the street for several feet. As she paused in the grassy yard, swatting at mosquitos that she definitely didn't recall haunting the lucky actors on camera, Cynthia noted the upstairs lights blazing, and no window screens to even pretend at protection and all.

Shrugging it off, she resumed skipping up the last few steps. Her arms swung to her sides, somewhere between dangling at loose ends and lifted into pretend wings. As soon as the balls of her feet made contact with the wooden porch, Cynthia's earnest, childlike demeanor dampened ever so slightly. She curtseyed low, grinning playfully up to his face.

"Thank you for so graciously escorting me home, Mr. Salvatore. May I impose upon your time to invite you inside for refreshments? Or has our time together drawn to a sad close after all?"

Earnest brown eyes met his cool blue, relishing in the macabre undertones of their byplay. To her delight, Damon continued to play along with her.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Gilbert. I would be happy to join you." After a few beats of Cynthia remaining in her curtsey, he added with a chuckle, "You may rise."

Cynthia wondered if the evil vampire brother thought she was insane. If so, she was quite okay with that assessment. If she was reading his expression correctly, Damon didn't consider her possible insanity to be a problem. Just strange.

She smiled brightly at him regardless, still viciously amused.

"Brilliant!"

The front door was locked, leaving Cynthia feeeling suddenly betrayed. Small towns were marketed as being trusting! She shouldn't have to break into her own home! Grumbling about attracting moths and advertising you were home made **no sense** if you were just gonna keep people who didn't have their house keys locked out, Cynthia searched above the door, under the mat, and under every potted plant and rock she could lift before finally finding a taped spare key.

She puffed a few strands of hair out of her eyes – at least for a second – then chanced a look at Damon. He was laughing at her and not even bothering to pretend otherwise.

"Forget something?" His voice and mannerisms were cloyingly sweet and Cynthia grumbled even more.

Ugh. He was having too much fun at her expense. So instead of responding immediately, she shrugged eloquently and unlocked the door. Hand still on the handle, she stared deep into the door's heart, as if waiting for it to reveal secrets to her.

"I forget plenty of things," Cynthia told Damon solemnly. "Why, if we hang out enough, you might even see me lose my head. That'd be _just_ like me. I'm that bad." She finally turned the door handle. "It runs in the family. At least, I think it does."

Strictly speaking, Elena and Jeremy didn't have a track record of forgetting anything in the same way she knew she tended to do. Heck, her biological family didn't either. But Elena? Her so called twin? She had to be a planner, to be so socially involved and so detailed journaling her life eveery day.

But she did have the saving grace of the fact the Gilberts had would be compelled frequently enough. At least once had already happened in Elena's case, if memory served Cynthia well this time around.

Plus, who didn't love Finding Nemo? Wait.. It had come out, right?

Yeah, definitely. Lovely. Crisis averted.

Realizing that she was being inspected like a thousand piece puzzle, so heavily did his gaze rest on her shoulders, Cynthia cleared her throat and finally stepped inside the house. The petite brunette turned back to face her guest, and smirked right back to him.

"Please," she used the same overly sweet voice he had, "come inside regardless."

The magic involved had better consider her enough of a resident to issue an invitation. Her dream self had a room here, after all. If that didn't count, it was just cheating to make things more difficult for her, and Cynthia wouldn't stand for it.

Knowing what she did, it was easy to see the triumph glimmering in her guest's eyes as Damon crossed the threshold.

"Gladly." Charmer. "You have a lovely home."

Cynthia reached over and tapped the side of his nose boldly, a crooked grin stretching across her face. "It will be even more lovely if we can fill it with the smell of cookies. Come on, let's see what we've got to work with."

Much to her surprise, Damon continued to be pleasant and patient, even now that he had gotten his way and been invited inside. She had fully expected him to make a move of some sort, not this quiet observation and semi occasional bantering comment present now. Was he re-evaluating his plans to include her existence? Or was he simply too amused to rush things? Damon did seem to try and convince people to do what he wanted without relying exclusively on compulsion. But even still, he seemed so indulgent right now.

It kind of creeped her out, enough to get goosebumps. Damon didn't do much in the way of compassion for those who did not look like a Petrova doppelganger from her memory. Or his brother, but that was pretty shaky and she qualified for that one even less. When he was considerate, there was usually a reason, wasn't there? Damon could certainly be sweet, but only when he wanted to be.

Why did he want to now?

Especially seeing as he was still in an 'I am a monster and proud of it' mindset.

Trying to stop looking a gift horse in the mouth, Cynthia skipped towards the kitchen, finding it in record time. (Thank you, conveniently placed staircase for serving as a brilliant landmark from which to navigate.) Once there, she found herself opening nearly every drawer and cabinet for mixing bowls and spoons. The girl was fairly sure Damon had used the time she was preoccupied to figure out whose room was whose, because his presence had definitely flickered there for a bit. It hadn't been noticeable enough to be certain. Given that Cynthia knew just how fast he could move, however, she found any minute change in her peripheral vision to be suspect.

He returned – assuming her theory was right – and Cynthia once again had most of Damon's attention. She felt briefly victorious once she had all of the measuring cups and the like she thought she would need. Sadly, that victory would be short lived and bittersweet. Cynthia had gone searching for and through the pantry and hit a dead end. Clearly, the man noticed it.

"Do you even have cookie mix?"

Cynthia spun at the teasing reproach and pouted.

"Well, we have flour and baking powder and all. I could _probably_ make a cookie. But I can't find any chocolate chips. What kind of family doesn't keep chocolate chips on hand? This is a disgrace! We'll have to settle for sugar or peanut butter cookies."

If anyone asked, she was not whining. She did, however, throw her hands up in the air in the universal sign for 'I wash my hands of this. I give up.'

The look Damon gave her would have been degrading if Cynthia had actually lived here her whole life and not been unceremoniously dropped into the story with no resources. As it was, she snickered as he slowly drawled, "Well, you **are** a midget. Maybe it's kept out of your reach to stave off these cravings of yours."

Further conversation – and the possibility of him uttering any dull platitudes – was interrupted. Once again, Cynthia found herself under a heavy gaze, but no longer the calculating appraisal Damon had. Another woman with jealousy inducing dirty blonde hair that shone almost copper in the kitchen lights had entered the room as Cynthia had been drawing a breath to reply. Unlike Vicki or Matt, Jenna's shock at seeing Cynthia was not calm or placid. Silence hovered for barely a moment before the woman her mental age – which should so count – burst angrily.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Cynthia? Do you think it's funny to just up and vanish without a word to anyone? You didn't even take your phone with you! Just left, as you please. No one had any idea where you were or how long you had been gone."

Cynthia shuffled towards Damon, clasping and unclasping several fingers. The bloody bastard was no doubt enjoying this. No wonder he had been so patient.

"I've called your brother and sister to help look for you." Oh, Jenna wasn't done. "And you just... what, waltz back home and stare at me like I'm the one acting irrationally! Cynthia, we talked just last night after my conference with Tanner."

Had they? Oh dear, she hadn't listened. It would really help if she had a clue what was going on right now. Fireworks were nice and all, but not when they were being shot _at_ you.

"I'm home _now_ ," Cynthia pointed out, really not seeing the problem. Maybe explanations would help soothe Jenna's ruffled feathers. "And I brought home my new BFF. We're gonna have cookies to celebrate me not dying yet. Want some?"

Said proclaimed BFF took this as his cue to finally introduce himself to the currently no longer screaming lady.

"Damon Salvatore. It's a pleasure to meet you. I was just telling Cynthia how beautiful your home is."

"Jenna?"

A soft, concerned voice broke the moment with a single word, accompanied by the squeaking sound of the front door opening and closing.

"Have you had any luck? She still isn't answering my texts or calls. Stefan came with me to help look. He mentioned seeing her earlier."

Two sets of footsteps approached the kitchen as Elena was speaking, moving faster at the strangled sound Jenna made in response.

"I hope that's alright with you, Jenna?" It was Stefan's turn to be and sound considerate. "We thought she might..." His words tapered very sharply into tense anxiety when the two lovebirds reached full view of the others.

"Thank you, Stefan," Jenna's voice was still a bit strangled, but warm all the same in appreciation. "But, as you can see, Cynthia is apparently totally fine and has deigned us with her presence once more. She even brought a friend and wants to bake."

Hiding behind Damon's back didn't work nearly as well when he was engaging in a battle of wills with his younger brother. Stefan looked remarkably like a carved statue, if you ignored the part where his impassiveness held deep wells of fury and distrust. Regardless, Damon wasn't much protection. He was too busy gloating. Jenna broke out a bottle of wine, which honestly made Cynthia feel guilty. How was she supposed to know that they would react like this? So worried and anxious and abnormal?

Elena had flown right up to Cynthia, leaning slightly to firmly grasp the smaller girl's chin as she peered into her eyes. Cynthia suddenly had a great deal of sympathy for Stoner!Jeremy.

"What on earth were you thinking, Cynthia?" So like her aunt. "You terrified us when we realized you weren't in your room."

Jerking out of the doppelganger's hold, the petite brunette glared up at her not twin.

"I didn't realize I was under house arrest. I... the house was empty, and I wanted to see the comet." That ended far more plaintive than Cynthia had intended.

"You did?" Elena looked surprised, and Cynthia was almost insulted. She was getting **really** sick of all the shocked looks. Failure at immersion, 1000%.

Jenna eyed the brothers having their staredown first, and then the twins.

"Why didn't you just tell us that?"

Elena nodded in agreement. "You've been shutting us out for months, not saying a word, barely leaving your room. We hardly ever even see evidence that you eat. Then suddenly, you're going to town alone and bringing back a complete stranger - sorry, Damon - as company?"

"When did you meet Damon?" Stefan asked, his voice taut. He didn't even bother to make the question sound innocent.

"Gonna have to cut you off there, baby bro," Damon held up a finger, requesting a moment to speak without actually waiting for that request to be granted. "I'll have you know that Cynthia and I are BFFs now. Don't be so greedy, Stef. You can't have both of them."

"Yeah, sorry, Stef. I met Damon first, and I'm peachy keen. I mean, I'm flattered, but thanks no thanks."

Elena was not as amused as Cynthia and Damon were. "That isn't what he meant or why he was interested and you know it," Stefan's future or current girlfriend interjected. Jenna, meanwhile was working steadily through a glass of wine. It was possibly her second. She must have texted Jeremy since Cynthia was sure she would have heard a phone call. Probably.

"Look. I'm sorry that I freaked you guys out, okay? I woke up to an empty house, and when I looked outside... I just... I felt drawn to go look too. It just felt right."

She took a deep breath. "And I'm sorry if I hurt you by shutting you out before. I just needed time and space to grieve and process." She would also like chips. Chocolate ones preferably. Shh, serious mode.

"Anyway, now that we've completely made our guests uncomfortable..." Actually, Stefan was trying to convince Damon to leave. At some point, Cynthia had started gripping the man's hand though, and Damon was milking it. "Maybe Damon and I should just go, and um, hang out upstairs?"

Before she contributed too much to former party girl Jenna killing her liver even more.

Seizing on Cynthia's thoughts, and no doubt wanting to rub things in Stefan's face, Damon squeezed her hand positively conciliatorily. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

"Actually, Damon and I were just about to go home."

Three guesses who, and the first two don't count. Anyway, Cynthia was not putting up with it. She'd gone through a lot of effort and embarrassment to get Damon to choose _her_ as his blood bag, thank you very much. She was the pilot of this dream, whether it wanted her to be or not.

"Oh please, it isn't like he has a curfew, right? I mean... I don't know how your uncle is with y'all, but I'm sure he doesn't issue a bedtime to someone out of high school."

She was pretty sure Zach wasn't suicidal enough to try and issue such unilateral demands of Damon, anyway.

"I really am sorry J- Aunt Jenna. Elena, you can totally grill me after school tomorrow if it makes you feel better. But for now, we are gonna hang out," Cynthia said decisively, jerking her thumb to indicate the evil vampire brother. "Sleep tight."

The spoilsports could put the now irrelevant baking supplies up now that they had completely killed the mood.

Plus, they had a better chance of putting things in the correct places.

Cynthia tugged on Damon's hand, hiding her smile at the cocky wink he shot both Elena and Stefan as he willingly followed her up the stairs.

"You want me to join you in your bedroom?" He cried dramatically, more for Stefan's ears than anyone else's she was sure. "But Cynthia, we're moving so fast! It's like I just met you."

This time, she did stick her tongue out at him again. "Get in here, already."

"Pushy, pushy." Damon waggled his eyebrows at her. "I like it."

All Cynthia could muster was a groan before flopping down on the – her – bed. Unnecessary complications were tedious.

"Mnn, yes I'm sure." She stared up at the ceiling as Damon lounged next to her. "Is this the part where we do each other's hair and trade gossip? I'm a bit rusty on sleepover etiquette. And fan girl etiquette, actually. Pretty sure offering sweets and having to renege, however temporarily, is not of the good though."

There were raised voices outside. Elena and Stefan were arguing about something, she supposed. What else was new.

Damon had moved closer, his fingers brushing lightly through her hair as he purred. "Yes, you really did rather promise me dessert. I'm going to have to collect some other way."

The vampire pressed sinfully light kisses to her neck as Cynthia's mind raced. On the one hand, she could make an excuse to get changed into something with a lower cut, less likely to be blood stained. On the other, well, she was proficient enough at getting blood stains out of clothing. Usually not shirts or pillow covers, but Cynthia was sure that the principle remained the same.

So after a few tense moments, her muscles relaxed in acceptance. She didn't want to fight Damon and put him in a bad mood. Cynthia did lean up slightly, tapping Damon's nose again as he smirked at her. She then started tugging off the gorgeous lace gloves she was already so fond of.

"I suppose it's only fair," Cynthia agreed equably. She didn't move to kiss him in return though. Sex was not on the list of things one does for friends, even if they were serial killers likely to kill you in a fit of pique. Leastways, it wasn't on her list.

The easy pleasure and mischief in Damon's eyes was intoxicating. He was very obviously enjoying himself and their wordplay just as much as Cynthia was, although he no doubt still thought her ignorant of it. Perhaps she would tell him tomorrow. It rather depended on how long this dream lasted.

Feather light kisses continued, brushing across her cheek, lips, and collarbone as Damon's hands played just under her t shirt. It was criminal, and she felt like a horrible person for enjoying it for even a second. She had a boyfriend she was very in love with, thank you very much. She shouldn't be dreaming about other men. And this definitely shouldn't be as exciting as it was.

"I knew you would agree."

Cocky son of a batch of cookies.

Cynthia reflexively grabbed at one of Damon's wrists. Either in retaliation or from simple boredom, she did so just as Damon decided play time was over. The veins under his eyes swelled and darkened with the rush of blood. His expression was pure evil and mischief as he held her gaze for just a fraction of a second before his fangs tore into the flesh and muscle of her neck. Cynthia wasn't proud of the keening cry of pain that she barely muffled to prevent anyone from breaking into her sanctum at such an inopportune time.

It hurt far more than Cynthia had imagined. Not really from design, but more from the apparent knots of muscles her body must have had from whatever kept her holed up for so long. Breaking past skin was one thing, through muscle an entirely different beast. She registered the hungry, almost gloating sounds Damon was making, but closed her eyes against the world as he continued to feed. Cynthia would deal with everything else when it was over.

For now, she lay back against the pillow and gingerly moved the arm on the opposite side of what he had chosen to feed on. Damon allowed her the movement, probably because she was moving far too slowly to ever be perceived as a threat, and she rested her hand on his shoulder. Then Cynthia closed her eyes, because at the rate Damon was feeding, unconsciousness would be taking over any...

Moment.

Adrenaline spiked through her as Cynthia shot out of bed. She felt first for her neck, tentatively edging over the scabbed over wound.

"Guess that answers the question of 'Am I dreaming?'" The girl mumbled as she pushed out of the covers. A quick turn of her head revealed Damon to be lying shirtless next to her, apparently asleep. Moving slowly, Cynthia walked on the balls of her feet to stay as soundless as she could. There was no need to wake a vampire up early. She, for one, did not want to find out he was grumpy in the mornings. The girl grabbed her gloves first, then agonized over her rubbish selection of clothing choices for a while, glancing back to ascertain if Damon was awake every now and then.

She eventually settled on an orchid colored knee length skirt paired with a lavender blouse with a neckline decorated with knotted flowers. Pairing it with calf high black boots and a sheer black scarf, Cynthia decided that she at least didn't look like her only clothing was from the junior's section at Kohls and Walmart. Also on the plus side, she clearly wasn't expected to know anything about fashion. Which was good, because Elena and her friends were far better than Cynthia ever would be. She could, however, pick clothes she would feel confident wearing.

Really, that was half the battle. And half was good enough for her.

Seeing as Damon was still playing Sleeping Beauty, Cynthia edged cautiously towards her door. If her closet had been big enough, she might have changed inside, but regardless she desperately needed a shower.

 **"Good morning."**

Ah, Damon had apparently decided her turning the doorknob was a step too far with things so unresolved between them. Well, and fair enough. He had chowed down on her the night before. Some people might be resentful of that.

"Mornin'" Cynthia greed, just as equably as she had the night before. "You're not still hungry, are you? Because I'm pretty sure I'm suppose to have sugar before another donation. And I'd kill for a shower right now."

Her unfairly attractive BFF – he was not getting out of that as long as she was here – gave her an honest to goodness grin.

"I'm going to have to make it a mission to faze you, aren't I?" He asked happily. "You're fun. I like it. You just bounce back."

"I'm a Weeble," Cynthia deadpanned. "You've discovered my secret. If we weren't BFFs, I'd have to kill you, future brother in law or not."

"Mmn," he was still smiling, even as he grabbed her wrist and zipped them both back to the bed. Her poor clothes flopped all over the floor. "Speaking of secrets, do I need to be worried about you?"

The potential threat of mind control or death provided a cold dose of clarity. If Cynthia was ever going to tell Damon the truth, it had to be now. Because if this dream lasted longer and he realized she'd always known Katherine wasn't in the tomb or anything else? She might end up just as dead as Jeremy had and Caroline almost did.

Only more so, because Cynthia had no pretty ring to bring her back or vampire hero to save her right now.

She stared up into his eyes and slowly shook her head.

"Actually... Damon, I knew what you were before I ever invited you to have dinner or to come inside."

Wait, on second thought, why tell him. It would sound crazy, and he'd think she was mocking him. Even if dying did wake her up, there was no guarantee. Just like there really was no guarantee this was a dream like she hypothesized. He might believe her; he might not. And she really wasn't sure how to weigh the possible outcomes to determine which was best in her favor.

Speaking quickly before he could compel her, Cynthia added, "Do I need to worry about _you_ telling everyone I'm a Weeble?"

Or exposing her in some other horrible fashion.

Damon's frown made Cynthia sure he wanted to call her a liar. Except, if he thought about it, she hadn't been the most subtle about inviting him in or to eat. She had wanted him to choose her. Banked on the fact he would want an easy invite inside more than he might enjoy twisted mind games with his original target of Caroline Forbes.

"I guess you'll have to wait and see." Damon's eyes were going to drill right through her. Trying to figure out her game, no doubt. She liked vampires and didn't like being party to potential rape. That was all. Cynthia wasn't sure he and Caroline actually had sex, but then the show was PG 13 enough to be aired on the CW. Who knew what went on off screen. "You _will_ be telling me how you know."

Cynthia nodded reluctantly. "Shower first?" She looked up to him hopefully as she wriggled right back out of the bed he'd previously pinned her to.

"I'll get you breakfast," Damon said darkly, his eyes resting on her. "Don't think I won't know if you try to leave. And I'll be taking this as well." He waggled a flip phone that Cynthia assumed must be 'hers'. "So no getting any ideas. I'm trusting you. Don't make me regret it, because it will not be pretty."

The now teenager saluted him with a bright smile. "Thanks, you're a real pal."

She really needed to figure out what story she was going to tell him. The truth? That she read the Gilbert journals? That would be tricky, given she had no clue where any of them were other than potentially the attic and inside walls. Well done, dead parental figures. Well done. That she had dreams of the future? Unhelpful, given she wouldn't be having any 'new' ones.

No, she was just going to have to tell him the truth. Have him taste her blood, guarantee she wasn't on vervain, and then compel her. It might give her the heebie jeebies, but it really had the best chance of working. Cynthia would just have to ask him to heal her afterwards.

Well, no point in worrying now! She was still alive, and there was quite a day ahead of her.

"Okay!" She chirped. "And then if you're still hungry, you're welcome to drive me to school. Or pick me up for lunch or after. Fielder's choice."

Cynthia scooped up her clothes and winked at the, once again, befuddled vampire. "Oh, and fair warning, if your brother asks, I'm telling him I felt _compelled_ to wear this scarf today."

She walked away whistling as Damon laughed. He would probably have questions or demands later. Or he'd compelled her and just didn't let her remember. Either way, all was well and it was the start of a new day in Mystic Falls.

A new day involving having to go back to high school. She should never have agreed to this. High school hadn't been the most pleasant the first time around. Going back to be the focal point of drama and live in the shadow of the Queen Bee and Queens of Popularity? Cynthia physically cringed.

Yeah, Cynthia was definitely telling Damon the truth. She needed someone in her court to keep from going on insane.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Alrighty, guys. Thanks for hanging with me. As we creep along, I'm trying to decide things like ships and deaths. If there are any preferences, let me know, and I'll keep them in mind! I am super duper glad that you guys like Cynthia and her friendship with Damon. ^_^

* * *

Turns out, having an alter ego/past self who ditched the first several days of school is actually more stress inducing than telling an evil loving vampire that you have somehow found yourself in the reality of a tv show. Or that you know a disturbing number of his secrets, even if not in their entirety. Cynthia had rather hoped her day would get easier. Apparently, the teachers and staff at Mystic Falls High held a bit of a grudge. Which was ridiculous, in her opinion. They regularly didn't care that fifteen year olds were getting drunk and high on school property, but not showing up at all was soooo horrible.

Admittedly, a few had been concerned, having heard through the small town grape vine that she had secluded herself away from all human contact the past summer. Others, like Tanner, kept making snide remarks or asking questions she had no way of knowing.

Math and science were her saving graces. It didn't matter that she hadn't been present to 'learn' the new material, Cynthia hadn't forgotten what she had learned in her _actual_ life. She could handle both with no problem. History was a completely different story. Tanner cared far too much about the history of Mystic Falls. As if that would do her much good.

Over the course of the day, Cynthia's bag grew heavier and heavier. She had originally only brought a notebook and pens. It wasn't like she had the year's textbooks. Now that she did, Cynthia wished she had a clue as to where to find her locker. And that lockers were not the bane of her existence. She would so be leaving these at home in the future.

The male Donovan had cornered her within moments of Damon dropping her off this morning. He even managed to grab her before her not twin could do the same. Truthfully, Cynthia was rather impressed by his speed.

"I can't believe you actually came," Matt had kept his voice low, looking her over to make sure she was physically okay and really, actually here.

Her brows furrowed slightly, not so much because he was looking out for her welfare as the fact he had apparently doubted her. "I told you I would, didn't I? I don't go back on my word. Surely you know that, Matty."

Yeah, she really didn't care if that was a Vicki only nickname.

"I know, Cyn. It's just, what with this summer. It was like you had died too, you know?" Once again, Cynthia felt guilty for her alter's behavior. "Look, I just want you to know, that even though Elena and I aren't together anymore, you can always come to me if you need anything. Okay?"

Awww, this boy was such a sweetheart! She almost wanted to pinch his cheeks.

"Thanks, big bro," Cynthia teased, hugging him tightly. "It's good to know I can count on you for help. Speaking of, how do I find my schedule out now?"

And that had been the end of any enjoyable socializing until lunch. Cynthia had studiously ignored all of the stares of utter and complete strangers she was meant to know, and just kept her nose down. It wasn't as if the teachers were giving her much of a break anyway. Even the ones concerned after her health kept her fellow teenagers at bay.

That didn't mean she was deaf though. Murmurs about Stefan's great catch were everywhere. Cynthia wondered if that meant she would be uninvited from her own home for dinner tonight. At least she might avoid the Inquisition that way.

Stefan and Elena had both shot her several weird looks whenever they shared a class or passed in the hall. Admittedly, for different reasons. Bonnie's reaction had been one of the chillest about the whole affair of her having 'returned' to school. When she was finally not being hounded by teachers with the ringing of the lunch bell, the witch had swept Cynthia up into a hug and simply welcomed her back.

Caroline was a bit more dramatic.

"OH MY GOD, CYNTHIA!" The blonde bombshell swept her away from witchy fast enough to have Cynthia questioning if she was really a human right now. "It has been forever! I'm so sorry for not texting more. We were all so worried about you. But you're back! Are you good?"

"Peachy keen, jelly bean," Cynthia assured. She wasn't the one who had lost her parents to a motor accident. She just, you know, ended up (hopefully) temporarily stranded in a world and life that wasn't hers with no idea of how to wake up. Nbd.

"I'm soo glad." She was going to be crushed by the cheerleading captain. They'd better write a nice epilogue for her.

Stefan interceded for her, and Cynthia decided she might like him after all.

"Caroline, do you mind if I borrow Cynthia for a moment?"

Given the bright smile, it was safe to say Caroline didn't. "Sure, see you later. I've got to meet with a committee anyway."

Naturally, Cynthia would have been more grateful if Stefan had not kept a firm grip on her elbow, preventing her from leaving politely.

"Can I help you, Stef?"

The permanent teenager really did have a romance novel stare, only currently he was very clearly trying to figure out if she was alright. He wanted to protect the ignorant human. Which, okay, was nice of him. Extremely judgemental of and completely lacking faith in his brother, but still nice.

"Hey, we didn't exactly meet on the best of terms," Stefan started. "Do you think we could try again?"

The kid's heart being in the right place was not enough for Cynthia to let down her guard or abandon her plans to mess with his head. It did make her feel a smidgen guilty about it all, but she reminded herself that this was a man with a higher death toll than Damon who would try to dessicate his brother over a girl.

"Yeah," Cynthia smiled easily. "I generally prefer to be more than just a way to find my twin _or_ in the middle of a sibling fight."

She held out a hand to him, making a note of the slight flinch he had made at being called out.

"Cynthia Gilbert, the fun sized and probably crazier Gilbert. Which is saying something."

Her insanity wasn't caused by a resurrection ring, which probably counted in her favor. Weren't most teenagers a little crazy on some level?

Hero Hair Salvatore accepted her hand, and this time she didn't kiss it.

"Stefan Salvatore. It's a pleasure to meet you," he smiled warmly. Stefan's eyes kept drifting to her scarf, searching out tell tale teeth marks no doubt. "Cynthia, you never really said. When did you meet my brother?"

The brunette didn't quite meet his gaze, staring more at his nose and hair.

"I'd say I became his fan girl a little while before I met you. The first time, I mean. Sometime after the comet drew me outside, I think."

His face crinkled at her use of the term 'fan girl'.

"Listen, Cynthia - "

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you too." Bless you, Elena. For once, bless you. "Come on, the bells about to ring. We all have class together."

* * *

 _Trade a hit for a ride after school?_

Cynthia had her phone hidden amongst the pile of textbooks on her desk as she messaged Damon. He was apparently bored enough to respond in no time, as the vibration of his reply thrummed up her fingers.

 _Thought u had appt with the family and the good brother_

 _Not til later. Stef is gonna join the football team, and the good twin has cheer practice._

 _C u soon_

Closing and pocketing her phone, she hummed softly through the rest of class. Damon hadn't fully believed her, even after having proven to himself she was vervain free. But he did believe that _she_ thought it was true. They were going to plan a little test for tonight, when things were most likely to stay the same since she hadn't been around to affect as much. If it bore out, well, they'd have quite a bit of plotting to do together.

Once class ended, Cynthia hung around the tables where her not twin and her friends congregated, minus Caroline who had left early on to get ready. She supposed they were meant to be her friends too, but she felt disconnected from them. Even with all she knew about their possible futures and home lives and the like, Cynthia didn't really know them the way they thought they knew her. She hadn't been there with them since the sandbox. Hadn't bonded over a crayon or anything else. They were still so... fictional.

"I'm really proud and glad that you made it to school today, Cyn. Are you sure you don't want to wait for one of us to take you home? It's a long walk."

Cynthia clasped Elena's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry. I've got a ride."

"You do? But... we've all got cheer or football practice. Even Stefan does."

Said vampire surfaced as soon as Elena breathed his name. Cynthia found herself imagining him as a fairy or djinn, bound to surface when one's name was spoken.

"I really wouldn't mind giving you a ride home. I mean, I'm not on the team yet, so it isn't like a few minutes would hurt me."

"Plus, you two could get to know each other better," Elena pointed out with a small smile, clearly loving how conciliatory Stefan was to her and her family.

A distinct loud honking brought a grin to Cynthia's face as she shook her head again.

"Thanks, really. And I would love to get to know you better, Stefan. But I've got a hot shot I shouldn't keep waiting." She turned her head to verify that the car currently blasting music was indeed Damon's, her eyes lighting up at the confirmation. "See you love birds later!"

Refusing to give Stefan any more time to try and talk her out of it, Cynthia skipped to the convertible and promptly dumped the heavy bag of books into the backseat. Damon was the soul of a flirt and kissed her cheek in greeting, his gaze firmly fixed on his brother.

"Ready?" He asked, so many unspoken undertones hanging just between them. Not wanting to give the game away to Stefan, or her busybody however well intentioned not twin, Cynthia kissed his cheek back.

"More than."

She twisted in her seat and waved happily to the love birds and Bonnie.

"Have fun, you guys! Good luck, Stef!"

And then they were speeding away, and Cynthia could finally relax as she left the horrible confines of high school.

* * *

"Seriously, how does your brother do this to himself. Willingly go back to high school. It's so dreary."

Damon snorted, "Can't say I get it either. He isn't ready to accept that he's dead."

"Pretty hypocritical from the man who made you Turn, isn't it?"

That earned her a look, which was rather unsettling given Damon was still driving.

"I'm taking you to the boarding house," he announced at length. "I don't want your aunt interrupting us. And don't think you're getting out of your payment for my chauffeur services."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Starshine."

What? Calling a vampire Sunshine would just be _weird_ and _wrong._

Cynthia hit the radio, then leaned her seat back. There was more that she wanted to say and to ask. But now wasn't the time. Damon was on edge and would be until the end of their little experiment. Offering him blood would help, but she really wasn't sure how much it would make a difference. So for the rest of the ride, Cynthia closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the radio, giving Damon the peace from talking she expected he wanted.

The sound of crunching gravel beneath the car's rubber tires eventually broke Cynthia out of the quiet interlude. It wasn't until now that it occurred to her Damon was treating her differently than he had his first blood bag she'd seen on the show. He had spent time with Caroline mostly at her house, and with Elena to give Stefan heart attacks and mess with the doppelganger's head. But still, she didn't think Caroline had been to the Boarding House when Zach was still alive.

How strange. She was kind of flattered. Even if it was mostly because Caroline's mother was almost always gone, and she had three other people in her family that might check in on her.

"I'm home, Uncle Zach!" Damon called out cheerfully, maintaining the pretense that she was an ignorant, compelled little human. Zach could be counted on not to interfere so much as to get himself killed. But if they acted obvious around him, he would also be the first to go straight to Stefan. And what fun was that?

To that end, Cynthia piped up excitedly, "Do I get to meet your uncle?"

Damon's smile was sickly sweet as he bopped her nose.

"Maybe later, sweet. First, you and I have something to do, don't we?"

She just giggled as the vampire picked her up and sped them both to his room quicker than it took her to finish laughing.

Reaching to tug the scarf off her neck, Cynthia smiled warmly up to Damon. He seemed torn between disbelief that someone could be so acceptant of him and glee over how well things were falling into place.

"Would you mind not biting into a sore spot this time?" Cynthia asked softly as he took the scarf from her and tossed it aside.

"I promise to take it into consideration," he breathed into her ear. Her ease with him must have set something off though, perhaps anger at the idea she might consider him 'human'. A breath later, he had snarled loudly before holding her still and biting into her roughly.

Damon could try to scare her all he wanted, Cynthia thought, staying quiet this time. Because he _had_ honored her request, even as he tried to terrify her or Zach or whatever his agenda was. And he had texted her frequently today, asking and answering questions.

So it didn't matter when he flung her away coldly, or even when he breezed out of the room so quickly she didn't even know if he took the door or the window. He hadn't even taken enough to make her dizzy this time.

Cynthia cracked her neck and went to wash up, then try to find the only known human Salvatore in Mystic Falls.

It took a bit of wandering around, but she managed to find him after stopping by the kitchen for a glass of water. She rather fortuitously stumbled across him as she had been pressing said glass against her neck to try and make the sluggish bleeding stop. Cynthia, naturally, was pleased to see the man. But he rather looked horrified at her presence.

"Zach, Zach, hundred yard dash!" She chirruped, then paused. "No, that doesn't really work, does it?"

Round eyes stared first to her neck, then her face. Zach was right. Her greeting had been terribly executed, and it was years too early to make that sort of joke anyway.

"I didn't know Stefan was having friends over." Ha! Keep dreaming, bucko. "Isn't he - ?"

"At football tryouts?" Cynthia beamed happily, her own expression bright and innocent as she removed the glass to show off the deep bite. "I expect so. Hi, I don't think we've met properly. I'm Cynthia Gilbert, and Damon is my new BFF."

That properly stunned him. Poor Zach was somewhere between angry and disgusted, at Damon's behavior bringing her here and flaunting her or on Cynthia's behalf. She wasn't really sure which.

"Some best friend," he muttered incredulously. "You're one of Grayson's kids?"

As if that has anything to do with anything. Nonetheless, Cynthia maintained her cheery disposition, ignoring Zach's insistence on being so unpleasant. "That's me in a wrap, I guess."

At least her dead parents here couldn't haunt or disappoint her too much. The Gilberts were highly unlikely to be persisting on the Other Side. She was almost positive that they hadn't surfaced in any of the ghost episodes.

"Listen," Zach pleaded earnestly. "I know you aren't going to believe me right now, but what Damon is doing to you is _wrong. Okay?_ I'll talk to Stefan. We can help you."

Really, now he was just making her feel bad.

"Don't worry your gorgeous little head, Zach," Cynthia tried to reassure. "Damon wouldn't ever hurt me."

Nope, never. Her blood put itself onto their glassware. It was all mere coincidence. Meh. But seriously, choosing to do something that involved a bit of pain didn't mean the other party involved was truly _hurting_ her. Consent was key, and he had it.

Damon chose then to make his presence known.

"Hey, you two," he crooned. "Zach, I see you've met my new favorite snack bar."

She pressed a hand to her chest and simpered in response, "Aww, Damon. You just say the sweetest things to me."

The human Salvatore hadn't much liked the snack bar comment. His anxiety and distress was written in every line of his posture.

"Look, I get it Damon. I can't control you or what you do with your life, because you'll just do what you want. Just as you always have, not caring who you destroy in your wake. But you _have_ to know that you can't just keep her here until you drain her. Cynthia is a Gilbert. People will come looking for her, and they'll eventually come here."

Smart, Zach. Smart. 'I know I can't tell you what to do, but I'm gonna go ahead and tell you anyway.'

"You were right the first time, Zach. I can do _whatever I want_ with her." Damon moved to grip Cynthia by her hair, his fingers tangling up in the waves as he tugged her to his side with a slight yelp on her part as some of her water spilled. His dark mood passed over as the girl leaned against him, trusting, rather than standing rigid in fear or trying to escape. "Relax," he spoke amiably again. "Of course I won't be leaving her here. And I'll even promise you that I don't plan on killing her just yet. No need to worry. Uncle Damon has it allll covered."

Zach didn't look the least reassured, naturally. Appearing to give up, Damon untangled his hand from Cynthia's hair and tilted her chin up to look at him.

"Finish drinking up, loser. We're going shopping."

She raised the glass obediently to her lips, hesitating only to make a comment, "Hope that means you are paying."

Damon just chuckled and ruffled her hair as if she were a puppy.

"Chop chop. Time's a wasting."

Reminding herself that, like it or not, Zach's distress was part of their greater agenda, Cynthia downed her remaining water and then abandoned the glass on the nearest level surface. Task complete, she skipped off after her tall, dark, and immortal dream best friend.

* * *

Shopping with Damon was actually great fun. He helped her pick out several scarves and thick bracelets – seeing as she had agreed easily to him continuing to feed from her – and had even been considerate enough to help her choose other clothes too. Particularly a dress that Cynthia was absolutely heels over head in love with.

"Does this mean that you will let me take you to the Founders' Ball?" Cynthia asked hopefully, mock dancing with the dress, enjoying the soft texture under her fingertips and watching it flow with every little movement as they waited for the cashier to ring everything up and put them in bags.

It wasn't that she thought it impossible for Damon to just be nice, but Cynthia was pretty sure that thanking him properly could just lead to a repeat of earlier this afternoon.

"It _is_ very important that I go, and it does just so happen that you are invited," Damon smiled leadingly.

Cynthia was all smiles, beaming up to him adoringly now. "Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the Founders' Ball, Mr. Salvatore?" She asked, curtsying to him, not quite as deeply as before when she had invited him to the house.

Damon bowed in response, grasping her hand and brushing a kiss across her knuckles. How he simultaneously pulled out a card to pay or signed for the transaction, Cynthia couldn't fathom. She was drowning in Damon's eyes. He was using his attractiveness to get an unfair advantage, and it was working.

"I would be happy to, Miss Gilbert. You'll look ravishing in the blue."

The ride back from the mall was easy, both relaxed enough to not need to speak. Cynthia did keep squealing over all her pretty new things though. It may have taken her a decade longer than most, but she could definitely now say that she actually enjoyed shopping. More than that, Damon had made her feel pretty. She was more than just eye candy, given he had actually paid. Like, legitimately, there was a card and a signature and the whole shebang. Cynthia wasn't sure where exactly she stood with Damon. Allies? Maybe, but she hoped they really would become friends. However long it took for Damon to be able to accept her as one.

"Alas, this is your stop," said vampire broke the silence as they pulled into the Gilbert driveway. He parked the car, but left the engine running as he turned to grin at the petite girl riding shotgun.

Cynthia pouted, even though she knew that she had to face the actual Gilberts at some point, and sooner was probably better than later. "Abandoning me to the wolves?"

"Yep!"

Well, he didn't need to look so pleased about it all. She sulked a little, then gave him her best puppy dog eyes.

"Still gonna come tonight, right? Eight ish, I think?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, sweetheart." Damon promised. "Speaking of," he tilted his head slightly and bit into his wrist. "Drink up. Don't want you passing out on me because I took too much today."

That was almost an apology. Cynthia accepted it, drinking from him until the vampire dropped a kiss to her temple.

"That's enough, kitten. Showtime now."

Licking the last few drops off her lips, Cynthia gathered up all her new acquisitions from the day and shuffled to the door. Hearing the motor still in the drive, she turned and grinned to Damon.

"I'll be counting the hours until I see you again!' Cynthia called out dramatically, grinning even wider at the slight twitch of a smile on Damon's face before he drove off.

* * *

It was time to face the music. She had promised Elena time after school, and thus far had avoided doing so. Cynthia didn't want an upset Elena at dinner tonight. Dealing with Stefan's tenseness was going to be more than enough. So she just had to vamp up and face the younger/older girl.

Lugging her books and clothes up to her room, Cynthia called out tentatively. "Lena?" She pushed open both bedroom doors of the Jack and Jill suite. Jeremy was apparently not home. He was either at the Grill or with the stoner kids. Cynthia had to wonder if Vicki had a shift today, or if Elena had just let him out of this bonding dinner shindig she planned.

The other room revealed her not twin, knee deep in frustration and calculus.

"Would you like to use a lifeline and ask the audience?" Cynthia asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Not sure that would be much help. You're worse than math than I am, remember? Even without having skipped out on lessons."

She tsked while moving through the door. "Well, that's part of the problem. You're looking at it like arithmetic or algebra. Calculus is much more... elegance and logic."

Cynthia walked into her not twin's room and dropped down next to her on the bed. "Lemme see?"

They avoided touching the awkwardness between them by mutual decision for the span of a few problems. Sadly, it was always going to be short lived.

"Have you been... studying? Is that what you did this summer?" Well, that was one way of interpreting the facts. Not all of them, but it had been hard enough even half convincing Damon. "Why couldn't – didn't – you include us at all?"

The dreamer shook her head rapidly, making a mental note as her hair fell into her face to investigate her hair products. Just in case it was her hair routine keeping her locks wavy, Jenna was proof that curls were possible.

Although, arguably, they might not be related. It depended on whether or not Elena was 'really' her twin.

"No," Cynthia reassured. "I just spent a lot of time trying to figure out where my life was going. Where I wanted it go, and if I wanted it go anywhere, honestly."

The flinch and balking expression indicated reassurance was the last thing her words had produced, despite her best attempt at honesty. Not that she really knew how her alter had felt or what she had done.

"Wait, you were - ?"

"Look, it doesn't matter," she was so not going there. "It's in the past. All of it. This summer. Their deaths." Cynthia really couldn't bring herself to say 'our parents' in regards to complete strangers. It was bizarre enough finding herself suddenly a twin and possessing a younger brother.

"I have to put it all behind me. Because if I don't, if I let myself look back and linger on it anymore... then I don't know what kind of future I could possibly have that would be worthwhile. So I get it. I get that I'm different now, and that me dealing with everything alone might not have been the best for you. And all of this has got to be plenty weird for you, because it is for me too. But I want to make a difference, Elena. And I don't want to live in the past. Can you bear with me?"

At least hang on long enough that she could save all her friends' lives, or at least until Cynthia woke up back in the real world again. Her earnest appeal had led to more tears on Elena's part, but it also earned her a bone crushing hug from her not twin.

"I don't care. I'm so glad to have you back at all, Cyn. You'll always be my sister. No matter what you do or what you want to become. We're family, and I love you. Just don't shut me out again."

There were so many Frozen references about love being an open door or building snowmen she could make right now. Too bad they weren't temporally appropriate.

Cynthia rubbed circles across the younger – no, really, did Elena seriously count as biologically older? Questions that need answering, numero dos. Right after 'why is this dream so long' - girl's shoulders. Making an attempt at levity, she asked slyly, "So, is this when you tell me why your boy toy had no idea that I existed before yesterday?"

Elena reared back flustered. But bonus! No longer likely to sob make up all over my scarf.

"He isn't a boy toy!"

Pull the other one. You've known him how long exactly?

"Mhmn, go on."

"Anyway," Elena continued, clearly embarrassed. "You sort of... stopped existing there for a while. I wasn't sure what to say. Druggie complicated brother is one thing. Sister who pretends she doesn't even live on the same plane as the rest of us? That's... a little harder."

Cynthia ruffled the taller girl's hair – ha! A non confusing description – with a sheepish expression.

"Wanna tackle the rest of the cal homework before Bonnie comes over?"

Elena conceded, and Cynthia thanked the powers that be for small mercies.

* * *

Bonnie came over around an hour or so later, bearing fresh take out from the Mystic Grill. It appeared that cooking was not a thing most of the living Gilberts did. Jenna would occasionally, but the poor woman was plenty stressed from working on her Master's thesis. If their aunt wasn't home, the kids lived off food from Mystic Falls' main restaurant or pizza.

Cynthia tuned out most of her not twin's conversation with the Bennett witch, refocusing on them only when she heard, ' _ **I don't want to be a witch. Do you want to be a witch?'**_

"What's so bad about having magical powers? You could be a necromancer!"

"Okay... even creepier, thanks so much for that Cyn." Bonnie was way too creeped out by the idea of her being extra awesome.

Cynthia just groaned at the girl's lack of imagination. Even Elena was saying she didn't want to be a witch!

"Seriously, how would it not be cool to set things on fire or influence the weather or heal people? Or, y'know, bring back loved ones from the dead. Hashtag, whatever you want."

"I guess," Bonnie said reluctantly. "But I still think it's creepy. I mean, stuff like witches and stuff my Grams talks about aren't _real._ "

Seeing as the future necromancer wouldn't accept her bad assness, Cynthia settled for helping find the serving spoons as Elena went to let Stefan in. Stef had been on edge when he first arrived, something Elena seemed to attribute to his nerves about Bonnie accepting him. Cynthia had to wonder though. He had looked remarkably more relaxed after seeing Cynthia was both present with them and unaccompanied. Even if his eyes had lingered on her new scarf at first before Elena started to try and draw her boyfriend and best friend into a conversation together.

Again, Cynthia tuned out, not interested in hearing their conversation about witches or Salem or being the icons of teenage independence. Even if she did think they were a bit hypocritical for first calling witches weird and creepy and then embracing a heritage of witches as being 'really cool'. Like, what kind of message was that meant to send?

Yeah, it's super awesome there are witches in my family, but if _I_ was one, I would just totally die.

Meh.

She had to fight so hard not to pull out her phone and text Damon. Ugh. She should get more friends if she was gonna be stuck here.

Nausea spiked through her, and Cynthia very carefully set her fork down, trying not to disturb the light happiness in the room. The doorbell rang at the same time, and she was out of her seat like a shot.

"I got it!"

Naturally, that wouldn't keep the curious Elena or her faithful sidekick Stefan away for long. But Cynthia was able to open the front door before Stefan could try stopping her. And there stood Damon, looking as fabulous in his dark shirt, leather jacket, and jean combination as ever. In his hands rested a store bought ice cream cake.

"Hope you kids are still hungry. I figured I should bring dessert to return the favor."

Damon didn't wait for Stefan to 'let' him in, edging around his younger brother who was fuming about 'what are you doing here' as if he hadn't just answered that.

"I'm not intruding, am I?" He smiled disarmingly innocently at Elena as he offered her the cake.

 **"Actually, we were just finishing up.** There's no need to waste your time."

Oh, Stefan. Keep dreaming. Keep the fire burning and the light of hope alive!

"It's totally fine," Elena glanced sidelong at Stefan before shaking her head. "You're welcome to join us, Damon."

Cynthia dragged her bff away before his smarmy smile made Stefan too constipated to move.

Bonnie, bless her heart, was remarkably patient about the extra visitor.

"Who is this? I take it Stefan knows him." Queen of Tact, truly.

"This is Damon," Cynthia beamed up to him. "He would probably be the King of Sexiness if he wasn't so in your face aware about it. Instead, he's more of a Cocky Prince."

The blue eyed vampire smiled at her as if she were a particularly ugly five year old that he felt obligated to be polite to in public. "Flattery will get you everywhere, darling."

"He's Stefan's brother." Elena already knew her well enough to guess Cynthia wouldn't actually answer the question. Maybe there was hope for their twin bond after all. "Cake and drinks, anyone? We've got coffee, hot chocolate, and milk."

"And orange juice," Cynthia corrected absent mindedly. It took her a second before she cleared her throat and added, "Not that you would drink orange juice with cake. Just... um, saying.. that I saw it in the fridge earlier."

Silence was threatening to re-surge, and Damon had his own agenda to see to with Stefan and Elena. So Cynthia stole the first plate of cake Elena sliced and hastily beat her way into the den while the others ate in the kitchen. She had a few moments to herself that way. Long enough to breathe and calm herself.

This was _just a dream_. It didn't matter if she was embarrassed! None of it did. She might not even _remember_ half of this stuff. Maybe not even any of it.

So why did it have to feel so real and vibrant and potent?

"Mind if I join you?"

It was odd, but the kind, gentle tone had almost had Cynthia hoping Damon had joined her. But he had a plan to make reality. Stefan was who had come to check on her, even leaving Elena guard duty to do so which was rather sweet.

Licking the tines of her fork, Cynthia gave him a rueful smile. "Be my guest, Mr. Salvatore."

"I couldn't help but notice, you've been flustered all night. Particularly since Damon got here. Is everything okay?"

Hm, did that mean he had or hadn't spoken to Zach yet? She couldn't help but wonder.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Cynthia nodded, but her smile wasn't particularly believable. "Things have just been... I'm going to say intense. What with everything."

She stared down at her cup, trying to pretend Stefan wasn't scrutinizing her.

"I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories," he started to apologize, but Cynthia waved him off.

"Don't worry about it. Caring about people isn't a bad thing, Stef."

That elicited a real smile, however brief it was warm.

"Onto more pleasant things, shall we? That's a really nice scarf."

And here we go.

"Thanks!" Cynthia twisted one of the ends around her wrist, admiring the silver swirl pattern. "It's new. Damon bought me a few today."

She was pretty impressed with how coolly Stefan took that. He edged forward without so much as batting an eyelash.

 **"Could I see it?"**

Cynthia stared at him blandly, obviously questioning his intelligence and if he honestly expected her to know if his vision had failed or not.

" **I mean, would you mind taking it off?"**

 **"Oh, I can't,"** Cynthia replied dutifully.

 **"Why? Is something wrong?"**

"Trying to steal my twin again, Stefan?" Damon smirked to his younger brother, moving to sit on the arm of Cynthia's chair.

 **"I was commenting on her scarf** , **"** Stefan would naturally see no need to lie to someone who had already heard the conversation. "I wanted to take a look at it."

Cynthia scooted closer to her serial killer and possible future murderer.

"And I was telling him that I'm not allowed to take it off." Cynthia nodded, before looking up hopefully to Damon. She didn't even have to pretend to be searching for approval. As much of a jerkwad as Damon could be, Cynthia definitely appreciated him. And so far as things one does for friendship goes? Tormenting a younger brother doesn't really rank.

"That's right," Damon rewarded her, that sickly sweet smile on his face again. His eyes were on Stefan though, cataloging his reactions. "But I can."

His fingers reached for her scarf and Cynthia flinched away, holding still as Damon slowly unwound the scarf from her long healed neck. Placing a kiss at a curve in her collarbone, Damon set her scarf down before smiling falsely again.

"Elena and Bonnie need help in the kitchen. Why don't you go help them?"

Cynthia looked doubtful, looking between Stefan and Damon until Damon added, "Come on, for me?"

"For you," she agreed. "I should take my dishes anyway."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** A huge thanks, once again, to all of you for reading and reviewing. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me. I did go ahead and raise the rating, just because I'd rather be safe than sorry. No one is going to be jumping into bed anytime soon though. But given how much screen time Damon is going to be getting... ;)

Hope you guys enjoy the results of Damon and Cynthia's little experiment! (Don't kill me please.)

Also, to the guest who said this was your favourite story of yours to read, bless you. And bless your face.

The rest of the night passed in fitful bursts of sleep and agonizing stretches of time simply staring into blackness. Cynthia was aware when Jeremy weaved his way back into the house. He had showered to dampen some of the thick alcohol smell, but she could still clearly imagine the thick waves of misery he seemed to live in perpetually.

She had tried texting Damon to no avail. He was probably off tormenting her not twin or whatever else that gave him kicks. Knowing that just made her even grumpier and pissed off that she couldn't fall asleep. Or, alternatively, wake up back _home_.

Except Cynthia was finally starting to accept that this wasn't just an extended dream. Her dreams might be detailed, but she couldn't think of a time when they had ever involved sticking to a pre-established storyline. And sleeping? Within a dream? Well and maybe, but insomnia like this was a no.

Which, naturally, made it even _harder_ to fall asleep.

And made her want to talk to her evil vampire BFF even more. It was an obnoxious loop. She and Damon had been texting so regularly and frequently that his radio silence since the party weight heavily on her. It was dumb to be upset with a fictional character. Which probably made her an idiot.

She was so not jealous of whatever was distracting him. Nope.

Giving up on rest altogether, Cynthia rolled across her bed to turn on the side lamp, illuminating a few feet around it in dim, warm light. She pulled out her phone again, and this time searched through her contacts. Stefan had pressed his number on her before leaving last night, something that had made Damon's jaw tense.

 _SOS please someone help me_

It's unhealthy, for me to feel this way. The Rihanna song was stuck in her head now.

"You make me toss and turn, I can't sleep at night," Cynthia sung softly to herself. She had to do something to pass the time.

 _What happened?_

 _Do you need me to come over?_

Stefan replied in freaking record time. Cynthia was beyond impressed.

 _Can't sleep_ She texted, and before he could ask if it was something Damon did, added, _Can we talk? Privately?_

The girl waited a few moments, then decided to clarify. _No telling Damon or Elena or anyone else?_

He took a little while to reply, but not so long Cynthia was tempted to throw the ancient – to her mind – piece of technology back on the bed.

 _I do know what privately means ;)_

The dead man speaks at last! And they say the dead tell no tales. At least someone was talking to her. Maybe she'd given him a heart attack with her SOS earlier. But it got his attention, didn't it? No regrets.

 _I'm so proud of you Stef. :P_

More for using an emoticon and making a joke without directly saying yes or no than anything else.

 _What's your favorite color?_

 _You want to swear me to secrecy over my favorite color?_

 _No.. Yes. I don't know. What is it?_  
 _And don't say 'brown like Elena's eyes'._  
 _That's way too corny, Pal_

 _Blue or green. More blue though_

Showing more insight than Cynthia would have credited him, Stefan texted her again.

 _What do you really want to ask?_

She stared at her phone for a while, just trying to work up the nerve to actually type and send it. After a few breaths, Cynthia phrased it well enough that she was comfortable texting him her question.

 _How do you handle your reality changing overnight?_

Discovering vampires are real. That you aren't just imagining a vivid hallucination world for yourself. Or at least, you don't think you are. And seriously, vampires are real here. And having to deal with decisions she didn't even actually make. Cynthia wasn't sure how Stefan would take her question. Probably more the 'vampires' bit, or possibly just 'parents dying'.

Although she really, really wasn't grieving over the deaths of strangers. Cynthia wasn't compassionate enough to reach that point.

 _One step at a time. When you go through a loss, you have to adjust._

 _And when that loss is of your whole future?_

She glared at her phone, as if it were the real culprit in all of this. Before Stefan could ask if she had been threatened, or really attempt to clarify at all, she sent another text.

 _Nevermind. You should be resting up for the game today. Good luck._

Wishing she knew how to screenshot – or if she could – on this phone, Cynthia copied and sent her conversation with Stefan to Damon, giving him a heads up Stefan's feathers might be ruffled when Damon saw him next. Although, that wasn't really _news_. She didn't want Damon thinking she was siding with Stefan behind his back either.

Cynthia passed the rest of the night combing through 'her' memories and photo albums. She'd found a laptop, much good that did her when she had no idea what the password was. Pity that. If this Cynthia was anything like her, then that was precisely where she would have stored all of her important thoughts. Safe behind a password, and possibly saved again further still in an email or on a private forum.

Admittedly, Grayson and Miranda were probably nothing like her parents. Nowhere near as controlling or invasive, and given there was a private computer she also probably didn't need to fear a keylogger or anything of the like. On the flipside of that coin, there were two siblings to be potentially nosy and poke into her business. So Cynthia was still betting on that laptop.

By the time the sun had been up for several hours, Cynthia was bleary eyed and out of sorts. She had flat given up on sleeping since it was clearly being denied to her. She had instead invaded her not brother's room, seeing as she hadn't spoken more than maybe five words to him since she got here. Cynthia took a seat on the floor next to his door and just waited for him to wake up.

Once he finally shifted to get out of bed, she piped up, "What's up, baby bro?"

Jeremy didn't react well. There was some stumbling and cursing, and Cynthia was fairly sure he'd muttered 'Christo' at her Supernatural style. That was a bit offensive, but she couldn't deny that she was possessing this body. It also made Cynthia wonder if there was a correlation between watching Supernatural and being a potential vampire hunter.

Nah, had to be a coincidence, right?

"Oi! I'm not a demon, Jer."

"Could have fooled me," came the sleepy reply. Cynthia envied him his slumber, but twitched a smile all the same.

Stretching, she rose to her feet. "Someone is grumpy when he first wakes up," she teased. "How are things with you and Vicki?"

For some reason, her questioning seemed to anger Jeremy. His posture all but screamed 'why do you care?'

"Don't start with me. I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now."

Cynthia recoiled at her not brother's reaction. She might not have the best relationship with her own sibling, but family still meant something to her. Having a brother acting like he loathed her without even knowing why?

That sucked hard core. All this guilt being dumped over her head and accompanied by male brooding was beyond not cool.

"Whatever, I'm making pancakes," she told him in clipped tones. "Consider yourself informed."

Elena was far less grouchy, despite being pretty reluctant to get out of bed before ten on a Saturday. Cynthia had to coax her with the promise of coffee to get her down the stairs. Their brother was nowhere to be seen, but Cynthia started the coffee percolating as promised before setting to work on the pancakes.

After several minutes of lengthy silence, Cynthia paused in her whisking as she looked up to her not twin.

"You have a thoughtful face on. Something on your mind?"

Elena shook herself out of her fugue and moved to finally pour herself a cup of the fresh brew. "Just something Damon mentioned last night, I guess. It's not really a big deal."

The local King of Up to No Good had put a bee in Elena's bonnet. Well and so, that sadly didn't give her much to work with. He could have offered genuine advice orrr just have been using her to mess with Stefan.

"Is Damon giving you a hard time?" Cynthia asked, smiling down into the batter.

"Not really? I mean, yes, there is obviously huge drama between him and Stefan. That I do _not_ want to get in the middle of..."

She couldn't help but interrupt. "But likely will anyway."

Elena chose to stare at her rather than finish her sentence, and Cynthia stared back at her with an innocently confused expression. "What? I'm just being realistic."

Her not twin huffed. "What I was _going_ to say, is that he thought I should give up cheerleading."

Huh? He did? When had he even had time to see Elena practice? Why would it even come up? Or he care?

"Did he say why?"

Shut up. She still wasn't jealous.

"Just that I looked miserable when Bonnie and I were talking about learning the routines." Elena was blissfully ignorant of Cynthia's mental chatter.

Maybe Damon wasn't a fan of the whole Heroes mantra. Save the Cheerleader. Save the World.

"Do you want to stay in cheer, Elena?" Cynthia probed as she poured out the batter for the first set of pancakes to start baking.

"I don't know," Elena's shoulders rose in a tense shrug. "It's kind of like you said. I want to move forward with my life now. Cheerleading used to be fun, but it isn't now."

"But you don't necessarily want to completely give up on your old life, so to speak."

Cynthia kept checking under the pancakes with a spatula, flipping them once a side had completely cooked.

"Right. Exactly." Her not twin was smiling at Cynthia as if she was proud of her for winning a prize.

It made her want to be able to actually _give_ good advice. But she wasn't sure what to say. 'Don't worry, Elena. Football might be effectively defunct anyway. It was probably only introduced so we could get a new history teacher in a couple of months who is new to town.'

"Well. Regardless, I would tell Care to rearrange things without you for tonight, since the routines probably take longer than an afternoon to get down. Just at a guess." She grinned as her not twin laughed at that, flipping a few pancakes onto a platter and repeating the process of cooking them with a new batch. "If you don't love cheerleading anymore, then there's no shame in admitting that and taking a break or leaving it altogether. Life's too short for self hate, Elena. Have fun with it."

"Yeah, I guess."

Elena went back to downing coffee like it was the only thing worth consuming, so Cynthia finished the pancakes, then shouted up at the ceiling. "Snooze, you lose on breakfast!"

Mid sentence, Jenna walked in. No doubt lured by the smell or the sound of teen angst.

"This is nice. What's the occasion?"

"Morning Aunt Jenna," Cynthia was proud of the fact she remembered to include the appellation 'aunt'. "I couldn't sleep. This is me bribing you all ahead of time to not hate me when I become even more exhausted and grumpy tonight."

Two sets of eyes peered at her curiously. "Are you actually going to the game?"

"Well, Matty and Stef are starting. So I should probably go and support my future brother in law."

Cynthia danced out of the way of Elena's retaliatory smack, her own plate of pancakes in hand. She sat down at the table with her not family and slathered her food with syrup.

"Sooo, how goes school?" She asked pointedly of Jenna, settling into a light, friendly conversation with them.

She had gotten dressed up, wearing one of her new scarves and a leather bracelet, about the time Elena had excused herself to go stare conflictedly at her cheerleading uniform. It was probably the height of clinginess, but considering Damon – her only real ally in this place – was ignoring her texts, she wanted to at least give it the old college try and swing by the Salvatore lair. Cynthia wasn't sure if he was off exploring some of the things she vaguely remembered about Isobel and her research, or if Damon was just being a general dick.

Either way, she still made her way to the Boarding House while the motley crew all went ridiculously early to the school for a night game. Football hadn't ever been her scene. She knocked perfunctorily on the front door, then went right ahead and opened it. Wandering through the house, Cynthia kept her arms crossed protectively around herself.

She was not put out that a certain someone was nowhere to be seen. Nope.

"What are you doing here?"

Cynthia pivoted to greet the human Salvatore with a crooked smile. "I came to see you!"

Zach frowned, and Cynthia belatedly realized that the man might actually take that as a threat, given he knew she was an associate of Damon's. Well, he knew she was Damon's 'snack bar', as he put it.

"You did what now?" Zach asked cautiously, taking a step sideways. Neither towards or away. Cynthia wondered if it was because he was hoping she had come for his promised help. Although he can't have thought it all that likely, given how little time it had been and how peppy she was acting.

"Aww, c'mon Zackie," the petite girl teased. "You're all 'mystery guy that no one ever sees.' It's tragic, truly, that you are set on denying me and the rest of the female and.. Otherwise interested in aesthetically pleasing males... population of Mystic Falls of the little eye candy it has native to it."

Stefan chose that moment to save his half however many greats grand nephew. He was already wearing his jersey, no doubt having been planning on heading down early. And good for him, really. Joining the team seemed to make him happy. And a happy Stefan was a less angsty Stefan, which Cynthia was totally in support of.

"Cynthia. I wasn't expecting you. Especially not after you cut off last night." He stared at her so seriously that her cheerful expression cracked. "Are you doing okay?"

"Hm? Yeah, yeah. I'm fine as roses. I just felt like I should come by. Is Damon here?"

"No, actually. Not right now."

Seeing Zach start to edge out of the room, Cynthia mustered up enough bubbliness to call after him dramatically, "Must our love be so tragically cut short? I'll wait for you!"

Stefan's eyes just tightened, and Cynthia straightened her spine in defiance. If she was going to be a teenager again, then she was going to take the good along with the bad. And that meant being obnoxious sometimes, and having fun. Particularly with something that _would_ be funny if people would just lighten up.

 _At least your baby bro is home_ , she touch texted Damon.

"When will he be back? Your brother, I mean."

Probably never if Stefan had his way. He smiled so stiffly at her question. "You know Damon, there's no telling. He'll show up when you least want him around."

"That's silly," Cynthia argued. "I like having him around. That would mean I never got to see him. He wouldn't just abandon me, would he?"

"Do you really?" He was staring into her soul, and she was starting to feel a little violated.

"Y-yeah," she managed, flustered now. "Why wouldn't I?" Bad self, don't let the golden child get into your head! "He's my BFF!"

And there went that stare again, piercing her and pulling off each layer of her skin to reveal the clockwork underneath. "You've only known him a few days. Three. Technically, a little less."

"So we are a little behind you and Elena. No biggie."

Okay, so Stef had totally stalked Elena from the shadows or something for months probably. Which may be more or less creepy than Edward of Twilight fame. At least he had more valid reasons to be concerned enough to do so? And hadn't been inviting himself into her room? By default, since he didn't have a literal invitation at the time, but... point. She was justifying, wasn't she? Yep.

But anyway, technically, she had spied on bits of their past and possible future for a couple of years. And then had continued to gather nuggets of updates via the internet and friends. SO really, Cynthia was probably both far more prepared to be friends with Damon than Stefan was to be an epic love of Elena, she was also probably the winner of the creep award, if they were going to be comparing lists.

Yay her. She could creep with the best of them.

Of course, Stefan and Elena had the excuse of being drawn together and chemistry and blahblahblah. Cynthia just clicked with Damon and wanted to be his friend. Why was it so much more socially acceptable to have a crush and make decisions based upon it than it was to have a squish?

"I guess saying that it isn't the same won't hold much weight with you will it?" Stefan guessed.

Case in point.

"Noooope."

He gave a half laugh and closed some of the distance between them, lowering his voice.

"Are you feeling better though? Seriously? It sounded like things were weighing on you pretty heavily. If there's something you want to talk about, anything, then I'm all ears, okay?"

Cynthia squeezed his shoulder, smiling softly in return. "I'm okay. Really. I've just been... a little confused about somethings. I'm trying to make sense of stuff, and it's all very…. Complicated and unnecessary boring teenage drama."

"Who do you keep texting?" Stefan's timing was irritatingly perfect, as Cynthia had been about to message Damon again. She widened her eyes in an appeal for innocence.

"Idk, my BFF Jill?"

"Right." Stefan paused, probably not believing her. Nor should he. Cynthia had never had a BFF Jill in her life. She'd never even known someone actually named Jill. Although there was that one girl who answered to the name. "Hey, is it true that the way to a Gilbert's heart is through cheese fries?"

That had Cynthia's heartbeat quickening. If she were a rabbit, her ears and nose would be hypertwitching right now. Good thing she wasn't, because Cynthia preferred to play it cool in tricksy situations. And this was very tricksy indeed. She was pretty sure he already had Elena's heart on a hook and line, and he had to know it.

 _Dude, your brother is flirting with me. WTH_

Also, she now was imagining Stefan as Bugs Bunny, seeing as he was a tricksy, wascawwy wabbit.

Cynthia smiled coyly up to Hero Hair. "You manage to flirt while looking super serious about everything. Has anyone told you that recently?"

Stefan winced at her deliberate misinterpretation. He was no doubt just trying to get to know her like Elena clearly wanted him to. "Cynthia, I'm not..."

"Sure, I'll go on a date with you later, Stef. We can bond. But you are paying."

Spinning on her heel again, Cynthia flounced out of the room ahead of him.

 _I have a date with your baby bro. This is all so sudden._

 _Can't wait to tell Elena_

It was a good thing that today had started with pancakes, because aside from that, it pretty much blew. She ended up at the game with half the town, milling through druggies, families, and overweight husbands reliving their glory days.

Cynthia had found Caroline and made sure to pass on the news Elena might be resigning, something that resulted in both a hug and a strangled sound of frustration.

"Care, everything will be perfect. You're a planner with more self control and determination than most people have in their left pinkie." She smiled as the blonde girl lit up at the compliment and bounced away.

She barely knew this Caroline. Didn't know if she would ever be turned, if she would be spared from all of the torture that would follow if she was. Cynthia was changing things, which meant less certainty. And she didn't regret it for a moment.

If she was really stuck here, she was going to need to find that Striker, Slater, whatever computer vampire guru and get in touch with Elijah. And handle the whole Emily crystal problem. And Anna. Anna might be tricky.

This is why she needed her serial killer BFF around! Ugh!

She greeted Matt and Ty, not hanging around too long since Stefan could only talk so long with her not twin. But the rest of the time was agonizing. It was hours upon _hours_ of 'I'm fine' and only getting snippets of conversation. By the time the game was finally about to start, Cynthia wished that she drank.

She had spent some time with Elena, teasing her about the fact Stefan was going to be taking _her_ on a date. Sadly, Elena saw right through her scheme in seconds. The phrase 'only you' had been uttered several times.

 _Only you_ would consider an attempt to get to know you better a date, Cynthia.

Please, that was like, the definition of a date.

 _Only you_ would think it is hilarious to torment someone like that. Poor Stefan. I'll make sure he knows you are joking.

Speaking of definitions, if you looked up 'spoilsport' in the dictionary, you would find a picture of Elena Gilbert. Cynthia figured she could even get Jeremy to back her up on this one.

 _Only you_ would come and stay to something you hate. You don't have to actually wait for the game, you know. Everyone knows how you feel about football. You were pretty vocal about it when I went out for cheerleading and you categorically refused.

Cynthia had shrugged and stopped hanging around Elena then. She later camped herself next to Jeremy. He hadn't forgiven her yet for whatever crime she committed – she was really going to have to make something up to apologize for when they got home. Not that sitting next to him like a statue and ignoring all of his druggie 'friends' would do much good for her cause.

Tyler approached, all jock and cocky wolf rage, telling Jeremy that he could have Vick 'when he was done'. For a person who she could swear turned out to be not so bad, Tyler was a colossally awful human. What kind of person says something like that about another? Especially when that other person is the sister of your **best friend**?

Although, Damon did kill his brother's best friend. Would kill? Might?

Still a dick move.

Then, of course, Jeremy had to decide to drunk tackle him. Then Cynthia found herself attempting to push off the immovable, angry object that was Tyler Lockwood.

"GET OFF MY BROTHER!"

Vicki was trying too, but all either of them managed to do was get everyone else's attention. That, and Cynthia got a bit bruised in the process of trying to intercede. Enter Stefan the Hero. Cynthia rolled away and grabbed the broken glass bottle just before Jeremy could. She guarded the broken glass viciously. If football made Stefan this happy, then she wasn't going to make it easier for it to stop by Jeremy accidentally injuring Stefan. Broody McBroody Face might be a thing of the past sooner than later with a place to make friends and roughhouse and whatnot.

Jeremy wasn't exactly pleased with anyone right now. Elena still got through to him after Stefan ended the fight. As she always did. Because who could deny Elena Gilbert? Whatever. Cynthia glared darkly at Tyler and Vicki as she walked away, tossing the glass in a garbage bin and continuing towards the parking lot. Jer probably wouldn't be any happier with her for trying to break up his fight, or from keeping the bottle away from him when he'd reached for it. He'd have to suck it up.

Just like she would.

She and Damon had originally planned their little experiment using tonight as their test. Even if he was MIA, Cynthia wasn't going to drop her side of the deal. Damon was... well, himself. Incorrigible, impossible, a selfish jerk a whole lot of the time. He also really did mean a lot to her in an incredibly short amount of time.

Cynthia made sure to steer far away from her not twin's monster of a vehicle. The last thing she wanted was to be in earshot if Damon decided to bash her to make it clear to Elena that he would ditch her in a second for her more attractive twin. However he decided to test compelling Elena while she wore the talisman of an absolutely horrible mother, Cynthia did not want to know. Instead, she headed around back ahead of the football players. She found a place just inside the back door and hid as the players filed in.

If Damon didn't show, didn't confront Stefan about the vervain, then Cynthia wasn't sure what to do. What it would mean. It couldn't be a matter of simply trusting her, because if verbal proof was all either of them needed, being able to tell Damon things like how Stefan made him turn or why he protected the Bennetts would have been enough. And it also wouldn't help tell them how much they could change.

It would tell her if this was an alterable reality or if she was just stuck in a nightmare. Cynthia honestly wasn't sure which she would prefer. An alterable reality would make the whole being able to feel pain thing more tolerable. But being stuck in a nightmare might just mean she was in a coma or injured or something and could still wake up. Still go home.

The scary thing was, Cynthia couldn't actually remember falling asleep in reality. Well, her original world, universe, dimension, what have you. She could remember waking up to the comet, and remember having gone to work the day of. She had spent some time with her love, both hanging out doing separate things on computers, because that was their style. That, and binging on way too much sugar and caffeinated soda because d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s. Her poor arteries and heart.

She didn't breathe a shaky sigh of relief when shortly after Matt came in she could hear ironic clapping. Cynthia rose to hug Matt instead, giving him a grin at his obvious bewilderment.

"Had to wish my big bro luck, didn't I?" Cynthia smiled up to him. "You'll do awesome tonight. I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, Cyn," Matt's voice was always so low and gravelly and serious. On impulse, she hugged him. "Go get 'em, tiger. I'm gonna hang here a little longer to wish my Pal good luck too."

"You're Pal?"

"Mn, Paladin. Stefan is so reserved and intent on being a good guy, you know? Seemed fitting."

Matt half nodded, being kind enough not to say anything about how weird that sounded. "I'll see you later, Cyn."

All she could do now was wait and eavesdrop on Stefan basically daring Damon to kill someone.

"Nice trick with the vervain in Elena's necklace." She could practically hear the smirk in Damon's voice. "I'm still going to get you back for trying to steal my twin. She really makes such a nice puppet, but you can't have her. I found her first."

"It isn't a contest, Damon. And they aren't toys for us to fight over. Just... go."

Which, naturally, couldn't be the end of it.

"I was impressed; I'll admit. It's been a while since someone could resist _my_ compulsion." Unlike Stefan's, whose wasn't very strong given his current diet. Poor Vicki's head was probably just screwed up even more with all the mental rearranging the boys had done. Even if she had done plenty of damage and probably rewired her brain. Cynthia had been told wants that addicts seek to reduce pain, whereas normal, healthy individuals seek to increase pleasure. Which all sounds a bit simplified, but there is probably something to it. At least in that, once you become physiologically addicted, that addiction is a demon on your back for the rest of your life. Or unlife.

"Look at Cynthia, for instance," Damon was about to continue before Stefan cut him off.

"Are you sure you want to finish that sentence, Damon? Because from where I'm standing, Cynthia is doing a bang up job of getting out from under your influence."

She rolled her eyes. So much for 'private' conversation, huh, Steffy?

"What are you even talking about, Stefan?" Damon's voice was pure contempt. "I can guarantee that I know her far better than you do. She _trusts_ me."

"Oh, I'm sure. But I haven't had to use compulsion on her or Elena once. Can you say the same?"

She could hear Damon make some non committal noise, and then there was silence. Perhaps he was pacing away. Perhaps they were having some very intense brotherly stare down of wills.

"Fair enough. You've made your point, brother. You are a boring goodie two shoes. I prefer to cut to the chase."

From there, the conversation only got worse. Threats were exchanged. And then, Cynthia got to listen to Stefan tell Damon he had humanity in him. This comment to the vampire who had ripped into her for trusting him to take her wishes into consideration. Not the best of choices. This is what happens when you avoid your brother for over a century. You lose the ability to read them. Apparently.

And there went Coach Tanner, too tipsy to notice her, but Cynthia followed after him at a run.

"Salvatore!"

Skidding to a stop, she ignored Tanner asking what she was doing here, and instead focused on Damon and Stefan. And it was so good to see Damon again, no matter how stupid that made her.

"Damon!" Cynthia called happily, running again to hug him. She jumped up into his arms, and Damon spun her around.

"You are the silliest human I've ever met. Do you know that?" He asked her fondly.

"Didja get my texts?" Cynthia stared up at him earnestly.

"Every one of them. Hang on just a second, Cyndy."

Her nose wrinkled in distaste. Damon could do better than calling her the name of a Dr. Seuss creature. She would have to tell him that.

Stefan, meanwhile, was trying to excuse himself with Tanner. Not that it did him all that much good, since Damon just vamp sped in front of the coach and compelled him. He spoke too low for her to properly hear, but it panicked Stefan all the same.

Then, Damon's expression turned positively evil as he grinned up at Stefan.

"So you think my attachment to Elena and her twin is because I love Katherine. That that _love_ is my _humanity_ , hm?"

"Damon..."

"No, no. You had your turn to speak, brother. But you see, I have just one question." Her evil vampire BFF set Cynthia back on the ground at last, her feet touching the pavement as he continued to support her weight. "What's this?"

Without any more warning, Damon savagely tore into her neck, all but draining her. Stefan had been far too shocked to intercede in time, so he was left staring in horror.

 **"Any one. Any where. Any time. Any place."**

The plan had been to compel Tanner to retire from teaching and only serve as a football coach until they could find a replacement. Cynthia supposed that Damon kept to that, and added in the 'say nothing about me killing a student so far as you can tell right in front of you.' She wasn't sure. She just felt weightless. Damon had bitten deep enough that he had gone past her nerve endings, so Cynthia just found the world very blurry. She was so dizzy, and super aware of the earth spinning underneath her.

What was the line? Spinning at a thousand miles per hour? Rotating around the sun...

"What the hell, Damon!" Aww, Paladin sounded so flustered and betrayed on her behalf. Or his behalf, maybe.

"I know. I've completely spoiled your date, haven't I? Oops. Have fun explaining everything to Elena."

Strong arms picked her up casually.

"Good luck with the game, Stefan. I'd hurry if I was you. Try not to knock any more of the students dead. Or do. Oh, and take him with you."

She slept. If anything else was said, then Cynthia missed it altogether.

Opening her eyes again, she found herself curled up in bed and tangled amidst the blankets. There was a comforting warm presence to her right, and she had apparently grabbed and clung to a pillow overnight. Turning, Cynthia pushed curled locks out of her eyes.

Relief settled over her, and she launched herself at her sleeping boyfriend.

"I've missed you so much! It was horrible. I..."

"What 're you talking about?" The sleepy confusion was too adorable for Cynthia to care, and she tucked herself under his chin. She would just cling to him until everything from the long, overly detailed oriented dream faded from her mind.

"Nothing important. Love you."

He draped an arm around her in reply, holding her protectively close. Cynthia sighed and finally started to relax. He drifted back to sleep, and Cynthia thought about doing the same, or just trying to stay awake for the rest of her life.

"You aren't meant to be here."

Her chin jerked up rapidly and a low whine of disbelief as she stared into an awfully familiar face. Given that she had worn it for the past several days. Cynthia Gilbert, in the flesh. So to speak.

"I think you'll find it's the other way around." Cynthia countered. Arguing with a dream self! Achievement Unlocked. You have reached Insanity Level 5.

She didn't want to think about the fact her alternate dream self was here meant this was then, logically, a dream. The thought rose unbidden, and it was unfortunately like trying not to think about an elephant. Suddenly elephants were all she could picture.

"Just leave me **alone**!" She shouted, twisting and grabbing a pillow that was now in the place her boyfriend had been. Her nails dug into it for a second at this realization, and then she threw it as hard as she could at her hallucination.

And promptly came to in time to see Damon standing, grasping a pillow that had apparently been aimed at his head.

"Alright. I might deserve that."

Incredulous, Cynthia cautiously asked, "Damon?"

He just cocked an eyebrow at her and smirked, watching the panoply of emotions on her face.

"You seem stunned to see me. Did you forget how gorgeous I am, Cynthia?" He tsked in mock disappointment.

Sitting up from where she had apparently been lounging on a couch, she grimaced at him and retorted. "If you don't say so yourself?"

"Some people say that I'm awesome," he told her simply. "And they're right."

"You're still a dick."

"Yeah, that's true too." Damon inspected her. "You look worse now that you're awake than when you were unconscious from all the blood loss."

Cynthia's right hand flew to her neck, feeling confusedly for the wound that was no longer there. This whole magic spiel was seriously making determine reality from fiction a right pain.

"Bad dream," she mumbled, not feeling like elaborating more on her response right now. "Damon... am I awake or am I still dreaming?"

He tilted his head, "That's a bit of a philosophical question, isn't it?

This time, Cynthia intentionally threw the other couch pillow at him. Even if Damon did have a point. If she was dreaming this all her own, then dream!Damon would say it was real regardless. Instead, she focused more on their surroundings.

"We're at the boarding house? Is Zach not home? Or did you just hide the almost corpse when you brought me in?" Cynthia paused. "He seemed so upset about the idea of you killing me here earlier." Then, she batted her eyelashes up at Damon flirtatiously. "Or did he finally realize the epicness of our tragic love and decide to plan my funeral?"

"And here I thought you were _my_ best friend. Now you're in love with Zach and dating Stefan. My, my, you are a busy girl, Miss Gilbert."

Hearing multiple layers to that jibe, Cynthia grabbed Damon's hand and squeezed it earnestly.

"You're the best and my favorite, Damon. You Salvatores are just like Pokemon. I wanna catch and play with you all."

He looked at her extremely seriously as Cynthia appealed to him worldlessly, her gaze earnest and open. At length, Damon finally spoke again.

"So you're saying I'm your Starter?"

The girl smiled radiantly at his tacit acceptance of her words. "That's right. I choose you, Pikachu!"

Damon snorted, then tugged on her hand. "C'mon, up and at 'em. You need food after all of that. And you're staying with me tonight."

"I am?" She blinked up at him, wondering when that was decided. And why it mattered. Not that she had any particular attachment to the Gilbert house or her room there.

"Mhmn. So wash up or whatever. I'd like to be back before the game is over."

And that's when everything started to make sense again.

"You want me to be out of the public long enough to convince Stefan I'm dead and to see what he tells Elena, don't you?"

Damon's devious expression answered everything that she needed to know.

"Can't I just want to spend time with my newest BFF? For shame, Cynthia. For shame."

She laughed and shook her head in response. "Somewhere with a drive thru it is. Or you could order in pizza. Can I have soda?"

"After tonight's performance? You can have whatever you'd like."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** You guys are the best! Thank you so much for all the love! I hope you enjoy this next segment just as much.

* * *

The appeal of having pizza delivered proved to be too much to resist. Cynthia was thrilled to be getting Mountain Dew in the bargain as well. She had started bouncing and spinning around the main floor in her socks while they waited. After a bit of persuading, she managed to convince Damon to play music and dance with her. Cynthia wanted to try and coax him to teach her foxtrot or cha cha or _something_ to keep her mind occupied. For some reason, Damon told her she should have food first.

Please, as if that would help her follow better. He could make her just as dizzy as the blood loss. Which was precisely why she did _not_ suggest tango. Dancing for fun and sheer enjoyment was fine and dandy. Something that was meant to be performed more seductively would be... Not necessarily wrong, but not something she felt prepared for, particularly with someone as aesthetically pleasing as Damon.

At least they had music.

"Aren't you going to ask me where I was today? Damon pulled her to sit with him on the couch. By mutual agreement, the pillows were staying where they were, so Cynthia leaned against his shoulder instead.

She shrugged a little at his question. "That's your business, isn't it? I reckon you'll tell me if you want to. But I'm not going to pry. You're obviously not _too_ mad at me, or I wouldn't be here. And that's all I was really worried about."

Cynthia sat up a little straighter, turning so she could actually watch Damon's face as they spoke.

"I care most about the now and the future. What I would love to do is go home, but I don't have the faintest idea how I came to be here in the first place. For the interim, I might as well consider it impossible." She gave him a lazy smile. "Unless you want to talk about our horrible love lives, Spike. The love of your life turned out to be a selfish bitch who faked her own death. I might as well **be** dead as far as mine is concerned. We're both just _winning_ so hard at being living unliving things."

Anger, danger, Will Robinson. Damon's expression flared with anger, sparks practically flying as he held her neck in a vice like grip. The blood vessels around his eyes enlarged and darkened. Seconds later, and he was standing with her still pinned to the coach by her throat.

"You can't know that for sure."

On the contrary, Cynthia was pretty much certain. It's the basic rule in this world that Katerina Petrova always escapes from any death attempt. And she also almost always gets precisely what she wants. It was similar to the way it was a rule in Leverage that Sterling always wins. Cynthia didn't attempt to say anything though; she simply stared up at Damon calmly. The world was only them right now; time might as well have frozen for all she cared about. A creeping warm and fuzzy feeling spread up from her neck around her jaw and to the base of her ears. Being choked wasn't really painful or uncomfortable, at least not the way Damon was doing it. Even his snarling demonic face just had Cynthia blinking, rather at peace with the situation, although the black spots in her vision were a little worrying.

Her favorite monster in a person suit calmed enough to release her throat before the blackness crept over her eyes completely. Cynthia was pretty sure he was glaring at her, but she was too busy feeling giddy from the rush of air and oxygen to care. Damon was probably trying to figure out why she didn't act afraid of him, even when he was in a fury. But it should be obvious by now, really.

She didn't have anything to lose. And he was _much_ too fun to get upset with over silly things like this.

"You said Elena never had a sister, fraternal twin or otherwise, in this show of yours."

Cynthia nodded, grinning a little as she sat up. She was cracked in the head. This was a little bit fun.

"True. I'm not saying that I'm opposed to checking on Katherine. But I'm not going to be shocked if she isn't there. Even you can probably admit that she can be a narcissistic piece of work. Personally, you deserve better than to languish at the foot of a doppelganger's altar. But you don't need my blessing."

Damon's face was inscrutable as he looked at her. "Oh, little one, you really don't know me as well as you think you do if you can say that with a straight face."

Cynthia knew arguing with him wasn't going to work, so instead she pretended to look affronted and diverted their conversation. "Oi, that is not going to be my nickname. No short jokes or commentary on my height. You can do better than that; I have it on the highest of authorities."

Her own ears and Wikipedia.

The vampire just smirked at her, pulling her up into a standing position in front of him and nuzzling beneath her ear.

"Maybe I should call you Sinful instead," he countered huskily. "Because you're sinfully delicious and fun to play with." He nipped at her neck, brushing his fingers down her sides and leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake.

"Plays on my name are equally uncreative," Cynthia said firmly, proud of herself for managing that when she felt so hyper aware of everywhere that his body touched hers.

Damon just snickered at her, "So picky."

A moment later, Damon had released her and zipped out of the room. He left a quite confused Cynthia behind, trying to figure out what had lit a fire under him so quickly. She started to follow before she heard his chiding warning, "Horror movie victims are to stay out of sight." Finally, there was a knock on the front door, and Cynthia realized what was going on at last. Their pizza had arrived.

And her soda! Score!

She skipped right back to the den, not noticing or caring if Damon actually paid or just compelled his way into getting their food. Either way, she was quite happy to snag some of her pineapple and chicken pizza.

"You're food choices are disgusting, just so you know," Damon informed her before eating his own. Cynthia was pretty sure it was a Supreme, but she didn't actually know all the pizza names. She didn't like most meats on her pizza. Or mushrooms. Or anchovies. Or most things, actually. Peppers and onions were fine though, just not her choice with pineapple.

And pineapple and cheese is freaking delicious.

"You can have your opinion, Damon," Cynthia told him sweetly. 'It just so happens to be wrong."

"I'm sorry. I can't hear you over the sound of how delicious my pizza is."

* * *

The den was a wreck. No, it was a masterpiece. They had stacked their pizza boxes next to the fireplace, neither feeling motivated enough to take them to the kitchen just yet. Cynthia was gnawing on a crust as she leaned on the couch, her feet resting in Damon's lap. The girl felt incredibly content and relaxed. Naturally, her evil vampire BFF was therefore staring at her with mischief in his eyes.

As she started to swallow her second to last bite, Damon grabbed and picked her up in a flash. Cynthia was startled enough to have to cough the bread back up so she could actually send it down the correct pipe. Something she suspected entertained Damon greatly.

"Bored now?" Cynthia chirped.

"Let's do something fun!" He grinned down at her face. She thought his teeth gleamed wickedly in this light. "How do you feel about skinny dipping?"

Maybe more than just his teeth was wicked.

"I think you might give me a heart attack if we try that. To go from exsanguination to that much shock? I don't want to be an eternal teenager, Pikachu."

The dick just looked pleased with himself, giving her a cocky smirk. "Afraid that I'll be too much for you to handle?"

She rolled her eyes before deadpanning, "Yep, that's it. Your body is bound to be grotesque and mentally scarring. And I just don't need that in my life. It would haunt my nightmares."

Damon growled in response. She _thought_ it was playfully, but she couldn't swear to it.

"Hideous, am I?" His grip on her grew tighter, almost painfully so. "You're so lucky that you are useful."

Cynthia reached up and pet his hair. As long as he was going to hold her, Cynthia might as well make use of this extra height. "You'll come to like me in time. I grow on you. Like a fungus."

"I'll have to invest in the proper herbicide."

She pushed at his chest playfully, then brightened. "Hey! Speaking of, let's go on a treasure hunt! We can find where Zach hides his little vervain farm. And then I can tell Jenna all about the strange plants I found growing here. "

Damon dropped her unceremoniously to the ground as Cynthia giggled.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Jenna. I wasn't paying attention to the leaves. I was a bit preoccupied with the fact Zach or Stefan like indoor gardening." She hopped up, ignoring her graceless fall.

Damon was back to playing bored and aloof. "You really think Zach has been growing vervain here? I'm not sure he's that clever or that incredibly stupid."

Oh, they were so not arguing about this. Hadn't she already proven to know plenty about his past? Hadn't she called last night and today's game? Just because Damon didn't _want_ to believe that his True Love was an ungrateful dog who wouldn't ever choose him didn't mean that he could keep doubting her like this. Cynthia had things to do, events to change, and a whole lot of heartache to avoid.

"I was right about tonight," she told him sternly. "Now, come on. There's a panel or a door in here somewhere that leads to your little basement of horrors."

Damon may or may not agree with her, but he at least decided it wasn't the worst way to kill some time. Because he didn't grumble too much as they searched for and found the door before trooping downstairs.

"Plus," Cynthia chatted idly. "You'll want to build up a resistance to it. Not only will it prevent you from being outed so easily, it will make it harder for the Mikaelsons to compel you. Not an advantage that I imagine you would be willing to tolerate giving up."

They had swung open a few doors to supply closets and peeked into cells that Cynthia really did not want to know the origin of. Why would a boarding house need prisoner cells? Seriously?

"Remind me why I care about this whole Originals curse thing... What was it?"

She peered up at him and chimed helpfully, "The Sun and Moon curse?"

"Right, whatever. What's to stop me from just leaving you losers to it as I walk into the sunset?"

More dead ends. Cynthia was getting really tired of how well Zach and the previous human Salvatores hid this vervain. She growled at a room full of furniture, much to Damon's amusement. He could go suck on a lemon. The man really was having issues accepting the truth about Katherine and for some reason that really irritated her.

"Boredom. Possessiveness. Knowing how insufferable Stefan will be about Elena. Knowing that Niklaus and Elijah are who Katerina has been running from for the past five hundred years? Take your pick," Cynthia rattled off with a casualness she didn't really feel. "Besides, why miss the opportunity to ally yourself with beings of that much power?"

Forever was an awfully long time to be enemies.

"You're annoying when you're right. No more talking. More spelunking."

She wisely refrained from commenting on the fact this could be a much shorter trip if he used his senses. Vervain had a smell, she was pretty sure. Keen vampire senses should be good for something. All she had found was a priest hole and a bunch of storage.

After a while, Cynthia and Damon had both grown bored and started playing hide and seek – although obviously one of the parties had an unfair advantage – as well as a progressively darker 'Would You Rather?' She paused in the middle of answering one of Damon's questions, slowly releasing the door knob of the room she had tried.

A fluorescent light lit up the room with UV rays, and humidity from the trapped plants had her practically drinking air. Cynthia squeed in delight when she properly realized her success.

Tch. Silly vampire probably hadn't been trying.

"Yo, D. I think I've got a live one here."

His arms wrapped around her, and Damon crooned into her ear. "I see you finally found it too. You get a gold star."

That dick. Cynthia spun to face him indignantly, but just ended up cracking up at his expression.

"Whatever, hot shot." He ruffled her hair, honest to goodness smirking down at her. Cynthia ducked out of his hold, tapping his shoulder before dashing off to where she thought the stairs back up were. "Tag! You're it."

* * *

Back on the main floor, all of the pizza was depressingly cold so Cynthia reluctantly put hers up. He could take care of his himself. Not that she expected the man cared. Upon Damon's insistence, she texted her 'aunt' that she was going to be spending the night with her BFF. Grinning up at said BFF, Cynthia then added that she hadn't been kidnapped by a serial killer against her will or anything.

Damon just shook his head at her, only a hint of a smile on his lips. He clearly didn't appreciate her epicness. He insisted on them leaving the room - 'it's so dull here, chickadee. Let's move this party elsewhere' - so Cynthia followed him obligingly. Damon had his drink, and Cynthia had her two liter of soda. Although it was more like one liter by now.

"You know, Stefan is going to be coming home soon. You should probably shower and get that blood off of you." How did Damon's eyes always seem to be so full of light and energy?'

Normally, Cynthia would have probably seen the wisdom in Damon's suggestion. Unfortunately, at the moment, she was too busy serenading him.

"'Don't touch me!' I screamed. I've got Unfinished Businessss," Cynthia pranced away from Damon's attempt to catch her. "You've got blood on your hands, and I know it's mine! I just need more time. So get off your low; let's dance like we used to."

She was a giggling, hyper mess. And Cynthia had absolutely no regrets.

Damon was incredibly patient of her play dodging him. He wrestled her still at a perfectly normal human speed, and even saved her pretty soda that had been doing such an ace job of keeping her happy when she almost dropped it.

"But Daaaamon, I don't have any clothes to wear after I shower," She pouted up at him.

He clearly didn't see the problem, and it showed in his face. So Cynthia crossed her arms stubbornly across her chest and tried the jealousy card. "I thought you didn't like me flirting with the other Salvatores."

The vampire rolled his eyes at that, but he stripped off the shirt he had been wearing and threw it at her. Having lost patience, Damon's eyes captured hers. "Take a shower. Now."

She was so, so lost, but everything was gonna be epic somehow.

"You know, I think I would actually like to take a shower. Can I use yours?"

He quirked a smile, looking terribly pleased with himself. Cynthia wasn't sure why.

"Certainly," Damon agreed, leading the way and even opening the door for her. "Make yourself at home."

* * *

The hot water felt like heaven, and a very flushed Cynthia returned to Damon's room cocooned happily in a very fluffy towel. Damon had stepped out, which was possibly very gentlemanly of him. Probably just because he had been bored though. Or wanted more alcohol.

Cynthia stared mournfully at her soda. Something about taking a shower always made her mouth feel dirty. Damon was going to have to cough up a spare toothbrush if they made a habit of this hanging out at his place after nightfall.

She flopped on his bed, wet hair and all. Cynthia was pleased to note that it _was_ getting a little bit curlier. Not enough, in her opinion, but she could dream.

What was taking Damon so horribly long? He didn't seem the type to wait out of consideration for her potential state of undress. Speaking of which. She slipped his t shirt over her head, enjoying the softness of the cloth. For once, her diminutive height worked in her favor. The shirt reached half way down her thigh, definitely too short to play at being a dress, but at least Cynthia didn't feel horribly exposed in it.

No, she was just distracted by his scent clinging to the fabric.

Raised voices downstairs had Cynthia creeping to the door, pulling it open just a crack to hear things better. She might have felt guilty for eavesdropping if the two men weren't so loud they were practically begging anyone to listen in.

"You don't think of anyone but yourself, Damon! Should I be worried that you chewed up the pizza delivery guy too?"

That had to be Stefan. She could recognize his dulcet tones quite clearly.

"Don't be ridiculous, Stef. Firstly, it was a girl. So misogynistic of you. This is the twenty first century, dude. Get with the program. Secondly, that would be noticed."

And naturally, that would be Damon. Because who else would Stefan be yelling at who would sound that cocky and smooth back.

"And what," something had a bee up Stefan's bonnet. "You don't think the Gilberts will notice when one of their kids never comes home?"

Huh, that's right. She had 'died' tonight, hadn't she? What with the sugar and caffeine and the delicious shower, Cynthia had almost forgotten. Although it was a bit sad that Stefan had such little faith in his brother. He didn't make it a point to draw undo attention to himself when he intended to stay in an area. It was counter intuitive.

"What am I supposed to tell Elena," Stefan continued. Maybe he could try the truth. Crazy, right? Try 'fessing up before love and emotional manipulation got involved.

"That sounds very much like a Stefan problem. Not a Damon problem." Several collisions and some groaning later, Cynthia heard Damon speak again. "Dear God, you're no fun, Stef. See, this is why you should drink human blood. It would make you so much stronger. Heighten your senses, expand your powers. **It might help even the playing field."** He paused. **"Football reference. Too soon?"**

Stefan was too busy groaning, or Cynthia was pretty sure she would have heard more things breaking. Damon didn't miss a beat though.

"You know, I do just so happen to keep a snack bar around. Trust me, Stef. You will _love_ her."

Cynthia straightened at this, listening all the more intently as their voices were dropping.

"What are you... Haven't you done enough damage today, Damon? Just... let whoever it is go."

"See? Boring. Never mind all of that. It's in the past." Damon raised his voice louder to make it obvious he wanted to be heard before beckoning, "You can go ahead and join us now, kitten."

Cynthia didn't question how he knew that she was listening. There was no doubt a reason as to why their argument had been so loud to begin with. She did grimace a bit at the fact the only clean – of blood, anyway – clothing she had to wear was Damon's shirt. But it really could have been worse.

She padded down the stairs, pretending not to notice Stefan having a heart attack at her appearance. The girl smiled languidly at Damon through half lidded eyes. "You called, Master?"

His eyes laughed right back at her, and she flushed when she realized he was still shirtless. Way to imply far more was going on.

"C-Cynthia?" Correction. Stefan was having a stroke. His speech was impaired, and he looked shaky on his feet. But there were no signs that the boy was experiencing pain.

"Or, as I prefer to call her," Damon teased, his eyes positively gleaming, "Meowth."

She beamed up to him, then finally faced Stefan and waited patiently as he stuttered asking how she was alive. He then insisted on checking her for injuries, which was the point Cynthia had to call a halt to things. Stefan's concern would have been more tolerable and believable if it weren't for the fact he was the one going around provoking his brother to kill in the first place. Seriously, how do you misread your brother that badly after a century and a half without it being at least partially willful?

So Cynthia smiled blandly up to the teenaged vampire. "I couldn't miss our date, Steffy. Can I get either of you a drink?"

Damon practically preened, replying before Stefan could fully form his refusal. "Fantastic idea. Pour us both something, won't you, kitten?"

She dutifully walked over to where Damon kept the alcohol stored in crystal glass bottles, hiding her smile as Stefan hissed a question about Damon's sanity. She poured a healthy amount into both glasses, then returned to Damon who was now lounging on the couch again, giving him his glass first.

"I know the smell of your blood in here has got to be killing Saint Stefan," Damon said conciliatorily, his voice practically oozing. "Why don't we help him with that?"

"That's really not necessary." Stefan was watching both of them, clearly seeing Damon as a wild animal that would attack at any moment. He had become a statue again, but the stiff line of his jaw, practically wired shut, and the intensity of his gaze said it all.

Naturally, Cynthia didn't listen to him. For one thing, it would break the illusion she was having so much fun helping Damon with that she was a compelled puppet or pet. For another, Stefan really did need to build up his tolerance to human blood and break out of that 'holier than thou' attitude sooner than later. So she held up her wrist to Damon.

The vampire gently unclasped the bracelet, his gaze holding Stefan's steadily before he efficiently bit down. Cynthia rocked back on her heels, but otherwise remained quiet as Damon then squeezed a few drops of blood into one of the glasses.

"Be a doll and give that to Stefan, then get back here. I prefer to drink mine straight from the vein."

Her future date could not look more stoic if he tried. Stefan was clearly fighting his own inner vampire if the veins and capillaries darkening and swelling into visibility were any indication. He accepted the glass, spine rigid as he glared daggers at Damon. Cynthia had just started to return to Damon when she felt him grab her still slightly bleeding wrist. Surprised, she paused and looked back to Stefan curiously.

Stefan wasn't looking at her though. His attention was still all for his older brother. "She doesn't exist for your amusement, Damon. You can't just keep her here and treat her like a fine wine to break out for company."

"Not this again. Why can't I?" Damon scrunched his eyes for a moment before peering at Stefan as one might a particularly curious five year old. "I don't hear her complaining, do you?"

Stefan was very gently pulling Cynthia closer to him and away from Damon, trying to shield her with his body.

"Because you _compelled_ her," he insisted.

"It's funny how you assume that I have to be messing with her mind. It's like you have no faith in my ability to seduce someone the old fashioned way."

Stefan scoffed. "No, I just know you, Damon. And I know the games that you like to play." He finally actually faced Cynthia, his voice softening. "You can go home."

Now that he was finally paying attention to her, Stefan would be able to see Cynthia's frown of confusion. "Why would I want to do that?"

He released her hand, wiping his off briefly to remove the lingering temptation of blood, before grasping her shoulders.

"Because it's not safe for you here, Cynthia. You have to understand that. This relationship you two have isn't healthy or normal. _Surely_ some part of you knows this."

Her frown only deepened. "Well, your denial is definitely abnormal and unhealthy, but Damon makes sure I have a healthy amount of iron, vitamins, and sugar." Or he would if asked. The sugar was true though. "I don't see the problem."

Stefan's fingers clenched tighter around Cynthia's shoulders and she stole a look to Damon to see his proudly amused expression. "Damon ripped your throat out only a few hours ago. He could have killed you. He _almost_ killed you. How can you possibly be okay with that?" Stefan asked fiercely.

Cynthia stared at the teenage vampire in front of her with pity. "Because he is my friend, and I accept him just the way he is. Besides. I'm fine **and** I got pizza and soda out of it. What's not to love?"

Damon finally interrupted their little conference. "You can't faze her, Stef. Believe me; I've tried. It's great fun."

She patted Stefan comfortingly on the shoulder, then skipped back over to sit with Damon. The elder brother kissed her forehead, and Cynthia lifted her wrist up to him so he could feed. Then she turned her attention back to Stefan again. "So, how did the game go? Was Tanner thrilled with you enough to forgive your tardiness?"

Stefan was gripping the glass in his hand so tightly, Cynthia thought she might actually see spider lines from it starting to crack. He was staring at her. Really, Stefan did that a lot. Stare. He could probably list it on his resume. 'Can give brooding stare for hours.'

"You okay there, Stef?" Cynthia pressed, a bit more distracted now as Damon bit deeper. He was taunting Stef, the sassy exhibitionist.

"I... I'm sorry. I can't."

The green eyed vampire fled the room, leaving the glass behind on a side table with a particularly violent slam. Shortly after Stefan retreated up the stairs, Damon stopped drinking, only fueling her suspicions. Cynthia pulled her wrist back to her chest, gripping it to staunch the sluggish flow of blood.

"He's such a prude when he is off the wagon," Damon sighed, shaking his head a little at his younger brother's behavior.

Cynthia leaned back against the couch. "Maybe we should give him bagged blood in his alcohol first."

The psychopath next to her grimaced. "But it's disgusting. That would be like torture."

Clearly, not something he planned to casually do over a long term to his brother. Never mind his supposed promise to make Stefan's life a living hell.

"Your brother eats rodents, Damon. I am pretty sure that even old, room temperature bagged blood easily counts as a step up from that."

"Mn," Damon finally quaffed his bourbon. "Maybe you're right. Either way, It's bedtime for the human. So get your cute little butt upstairs and into bed. I'll clean up down here before Zach has a heart attack."

Reluctantly getting up, Cynthia gave Damon an impressed smile. "You're so thoughtful, Damon!"

He just smirked at her. "I **know**. Now scoot."

* * *

Cynthia woke up to find herself using a very still Damon as a pillow. He was reading through some sort of binder, but apparently hadn't tried to move her at all.

"Morning sleepyhead," he greeted, flicking a page. "Your phone has been going crazy. Take care of it before I shoot the thing to put it out of its misery. I have no idea how you could sleep through that."

Sitting up and stretching, Cynthia gave him a wry smile. "I suspect blood loss, sugar crash, and emotional exhaustion probably played a role in that."

"Maybe. All I'm hearing right now are excuses."

She snorted, fighting her hair to get it out of her face and acting a little less like it wanted to mimic a lion's mane. "You're right, Damon. I'm just using my humanity as an excuse to sleep on you. You make a magnificent pillow."

Cynthia jumped out of bed, stumbling when she heard Damon mutter 'Knew it'. Righting herself, Cynthia found her phone and scanned through the texts and missed calls. After a brief mental debate, she decided to call Jeremy. Might as well start improving things between the two of them now.

"Jer bear!" She greeted as soon as the dialing ring stopped. "Why have the women in our family gone insane?"

"Cynthia?" Jeremy should really stop sounding so incredulous when it came to her. "Where have you been? It's almost noon, and no one knows where you are."

Seriously? So what if it was almost noon. It wasn't like the Gilberts went to church. At least, not that she knew of. Cynthia couldn't remember a single time that it had been on her television, although it was possible that it was simply not aired to avoid alienating anyone.

"Okayyyy," it was her turn to sound like her conversational partner was insane. "I may have slept late. Is something wrong?"

"Uh... no? I guess. I think Jenna just wasn't expecting it? Hang on – Yo Aunt Jenna! Cynthia is cool – You coming home soon?"

Cynthia covered the microphone with her hand and mouthed a quick question to Damon. 'Mind giving me a ride?' The man closed the binder and stood to give her a dramatic bow. Grinning, Cynthia removed her hand from the phone and went back to talking to her not brother.

"Actually Jer, how do you feel about going to the mall with us? We'll swing by and pick you up."

"What would I need at the mall?" His lack of imagination was truly disappointing. The drugs were so not good for his higher mental processes.

"Gee, I dunno. It isn't like there are three or four video game stores there or anything. Or ice cream. Those didn't stop existing over summer break, did they? I know I've been out of it, so I could have missed it, but..."

Jeremy actually almost laughed. "Okay, okay. No, they still exist. But where are we going to get the money for any of that?"

Cynthia grinned impishly. "Let us worry about that. See you soon!"

Hanging up, she turned to face Damon triumphantly. The man looked bemused, as if he found her actions adorable.

'You do know that I'm not going to actually pay for anything for your kid brother. Who, by the way, isn't even really your brother."

Cynthia raised an eyebrow before replying impassively. "Of course he isn't. Jeremy is probably my cousin." She certainly shared more features in common with Elena than the future giant. Keeping a straight face for as long as she could, Cynthia continued, "But anyway, it's for the greater good. Of my happiness and domestic peace. Consider it to be you helping me give a peace offering."

"Peace offering?" Damon asked, his voice deceptively calm. "Did you steal his girl or something?"

Not registering the undertones at first, Cynthia laughed and shook her head. "No, that's all teen wolf right now. I don't know. He's been avoiding me since I got here. And when I actually went to his room to make sure to invite him to the breakfast I made yesterday, he acted like he thought I was a demon or something."

It wasn't until the darkness sparked with a barely repressed rage that Cynthia realized Damon had taken offense for some reason. His monster was almost visible, even through all of his charm and charisma that normally kept it so carefully hidden.

"Damon," Cynthia said cautiously. The vampire gave her a challenging look, daring her to try and control him. To be afraid now or to make everything she had said just the night before a lie. "Don't do any permanent damage, please."

The vampire's body language eased just a fraction. "Come on then, killer. We've got a pretend brother of yours to pick up. Let's rock and roll."

* * *

Cynthia had donned the pants she wore the night before, abandoning the bloody shirt for the Salvatores to take care of one way or the other. Besides, she didn't want to take off the shirt she had borrowed from Damon. And no, she wasn't giving that too much thought.

This time, when Cynthia skipped up to the porch and inside the house, Damon waited outside, the picture of politeness. Running to her room, Cynthia changed quickly into a sundress and a pair of comfortable sandals.

"Jer! You coming or what?" She shouted at his closed door.

"I'm coming; I'm coming. Keep your shirt on."

Little too late for that, so Cynthia grinned. As soon as he exited his bedroom sunglasses in hand, Cynthia grabbed his arm and made a beeline for the stairs. "Let's go, lil bro!"

She practically dragged him outside, shouting a 'Hi Aunt Jenna! Bye Aunt Jenna!' as she did so.

"Jeremy! Meet Damon, my bestest of best friends. Damon, meet the troublemaking little brother."

"Who are... Wait, _this_ is who you spent the night with?"

The fifteen year old who slept with a seventeen year old or however old Vicki is better not be slut shaming her right now. Cynthia stared at her 'brother' challengingly.

"Yeah," she said slowly. "Am I not allowed male friends?"

Jeremy must have sensed danger from one of them, because he backpedaled quickly.

"No, no. You just don't normally spend the night with them. And they're usually a bit younger."

Cynthia and Damon exchanged a smile that clearly said Jeremy had no idea how right he was there.

"Fair," she smiled sweetly. "You can have shotgun. I'm gonna lay down and nap."

"You need _more_ sleep?" Jeremy looked disturbed as they climbed into the baby blue convertible. Cynthia thought he deserved it for assuming whatever he was. Because she knew Jeremy didn't believe in vampires yet. Although he could have jumped to blood sacrifices for demonic ritual summoning and necromancy.

So hey. Feeding a friend was totally chill in comparison.

He chose to divert the conversation rather continue down that thought trail. Good for him. "So why are you going to the mall?"

"It's a ploy to talk to you," Damon smirked, looking through the rearview mirror to see Cynthia play sulking over the delay of her nap.

"I'm sorry for shutting down like I did, Jeremy. I realized last night that I apologized to Elena and Jenna when Damon brought me home the night of the comet. But I never told you," she told him seriously. "I should have been there for you instead of just focusing on how overwhelmed I was with my own loss. "

Jeremy twisted in his seat, staring at Cynthia as if she were a stranger. Or perhaps a wild animal. He looked uneasy enough for it to be either.

"You don't have to apologize, Cyn. It's whatever."

She was so looking forward to whenever Vicki finally chose this kid and he became less miserable. Even if Vicki isn't exactly someone she approved of, Jeremy would need to figure out they weren't a good match for himself. She couldn't dictate who he loved or his life choices.

"So," he continued, "just checking, but you guys are buying me a game as a bribe so I'll talk to you again? Right. Sure."

He rolled his eyes and slumped against the car door. Cynthia shook her head a little, dodging Damon's meaningful stare before closing her eyes. Suddenly, she just wanted the trip to be over, and for school to get here. At least then there would be Stefan to entertain her.

* * *

Before she could see Stefan, Cynthia had to face her supposed twin. Elena was apparently not overly thrilled with the fright she'd had wondering if Cynthia was okay, at least, not going by her furious texts. Apparently their aunt Jenna hadn't remembered that Damon was Cynthia's BFF, so when neither Bonnie nor Caroline had any clue as to her whereabouts, the three girls had panicked. To that end, Cynthia had gone searching for suitable jewelry to keep them protected with vervain. At least, for Caroline and Jenna. Bonnie and Elena were only getting something because she wasn't going to be rude by leaving them out. She got herself one as well, although she didn't exactly feel the need to wear it constantly. Cynthia trusted Damon. It was more the other vampires she didn't. Katerina first and foremost among the ones currently at large.

She wasn't sure exactly what Damon said to Jeremy when they went to GameStop, or even if he did say something to him. All Cynthia really knew was that her vampire bestie looked incredibly smug afterwards.

She decided not to press.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. All three of them got blizzards, and Cynthia politely didn't ask who Damon had compelled to pay for all of their things. It was actually kind of fun listening to Damon tell Jeremy about all of the hallucinogenics he had tried, what he couldn't recommend, and highlighting the brilliance of sorority parties.

The petite brunette supposed it was one way to encourage Jeremy to pay attention to his grades. Talk up college life. Probably will mean more if and when he finally gets over Vicki Donovan since it was obviously a long term thing for him and a bit more than a crush. That had to resolve somehow, and sooner than later would be great. Cynthia was against altering the minds of her family and friends in general, which was why she hoped Vicki figured things out for herself and soon. It wasn't even like Jeremy was a real step down. Okay, so Tyler was a jock and the son of the mayor. Big whoop. Jeremy was the Gilbert scion, which meant a lot in a town that still celebrated its founders all these years later.

Better, Jeremy had never practically raped Vicki in the woods or forced her to do anything really. He didn't have anger issues around the full moon, seeing as he wasn't one murder away from triggering lycanthropy. The only thing Jeremy might ever trigger was his possible ability to become a vampire hunter. Which would put a damper on things, admittedly.

Cynthia still wasn't sure what to plan in regards to the whole Silas or Travelers thing. She didn't really have enough information to do so. Scraps of knowledge just were not enough. She really needed Slater or Elijah or... maybe Sheila Bennett.

What a fantastical idea. She was going to have to hang out with Bonnie more and see if she couldn't swing a (re?) introduction to her Grams. And not just because Cynthia wanted more information to help craft a future for Mystic Falls that she wouldn't mind living in. Sheila Bennett was a fountain of information to Cynthia's recollection, and she suddenly had hope again about finding why she was here. What had caused this dramatic shift? And most importantly, how and could she go back home to _her_ life and _her_ love?


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** In answer to some of my lovely reviews: Yes, I do plan on switching up the plot, as you're already starting to see. Cynthia is currently of the mind to help her ally/friend and help herself get back home, but you'll see how all that plays out in time.

And yes, the Originals will be involved soon. ;) Give Cynthia time. We have fun plans.

* * *

 _Monday, Monday. Can't trust that day._ Cynthia had gone to school with Jeremy this morning. They opted to walk in silence, both listening to music and generally being lost in their own worlds. Cynthia still thought that Jeremy tolerating her presence for the entire trip without making any snide remarks could be counted as a victory. The two pseudo siblings split ways once the school was actually in sight. The petite brunette made her way directly into the school and air conditioning, with a secondary goal of finding the Mystic Trio. Jeremy was still in his stoner phase, and hooked on Vicki, so she left him to it.

"Morning ladies," she introduced herself, having found the three near Bonnie's locker. "I come bearing gifts."

Predictably, this announcement soon had three sets of eyes focused on her. Cynthia grinned and waved, her smile only brightening more at the grumpy expression on her not twin's face.

Bonnie the Peacemaker spoke first. "What's the occasion?" Her voice was warm and inviting, a contrast to Caroline's excited oohs or Elena.

"Is it an apology for this weekend?" Her not twin asked snottily. Cynthia wondered if Elena was more put out about the accidental panic attack she caused them or the fact that she had a best friend that Elena didn't approve of.

Before Cynthia could quite work up a retort for that, Caroline interjected. "You aren't still upset about that are you?" Dang! Care to the rescue. Respect. "Your twin here has finally shown an interest in someone? Why can't you be happy for her?

Okay, maybe not quite as much respect. But the sentiment was appreciated. Mostly.

Cynthia pulled a face as she met Bonnie's eyes to quietly indicate how awkward all of this tension was. Clearing her throat, she decided to pretend that last bit of Caroline's hadn't been said. "Okay. Anyway, I got bracelets and necklaces. I know our dear Elena already has a necklace from Stefan," she sing songed the vampire's name, "but the rest of us have more options."

Elena rolled her eyes good naturedly at this while the others grinned.

"So just pick whatever you want," Cynthia concluded.

Bonnie touched the petite girl's shoulder and smiled warmly again, "Thank you." Caroline's thanks came shortly thereafter, somewhat distractedly.

Beaming to the three, Cynthia waved off their thanks. "You're welcome, of course. But Elena is half right. This _is_ an apology, just not for last night. Summer break was awful, and I honestly feel like I am an entirely new person now on the other side of it. So I wanted to do something to show you guys how much I appreciate your patience with me and your friendship. I feel like I didn't just keep you guys from my life, but I also completely dropped the ball on everything y'all are working through as well. I know Bonnie is a witch -"

"I'm not a witch," the other girl hastily denied.

"Sorry," Cynthia winked impishly. "I know that BonBon is a necromancer, and that Elena is crazy about Stefan. But what about you Caroline?"

The blonde girl shrugged a little as she put on a necklace. "Same old, same old. Dad's off with his new boyfriend, and Mom is around less than ever. All I've got is school really. Well, and the Mystic Falls beautification committee, and the dance committee, _and_ there's that recycling campaign I'm working on."

Bonnie and Elena's eyes had started to glaze, and Cynthia felt bad for her.

"We almost lost our football coach, which would have completely wrecked cheer season, but luckily that's still a thing," Caroline continued, peaking Cynthia's interest and giving her an opening to change the subject before the others made excuses to run off from sheer boredom. Bonding time was important.

Plus, almost losing Mr. Tanner was news to her. Or at least, the fact everyone – or at least, Caroline Forbes, gossip queen – knew about it was news. "Wait, what do you mean? What happened with Tanner?"

"Oh that's right, you probably missed the whole drama while you were off being naught," The blonde teased, sparking a playfully indignant 'Hey!' From Cynthia. "So theory is Tanner must have gotten super drunk at the game. All we know for sure is that he was so excited with us actually winning a game that he decided – apparently- that he didn't want to actually teach anymore. That way, he could focus all his energy on building the team'." Caroline gossiped, finger quoting the air with a grin, then shot Elena a supportive smile. "The crazy win a certain Salvatore of yours helped earn was enough to make it happen. Somehow, Tanner convinced the school."

"So... are they going to be looking for a new history teacher for us?" Cynthia asked, a smile threatening to form at the happy expressions on the other girls as they nodded. "Wow, days with Tanner are almost over for us."

Elena, now wearing a bracelet and having decided to graciously forgive her twin, slipped an arm around the smaller girl's shoulders. "It's hard to imagine," she agreed. "But freedom is just around the corner."

"Brilliant," the petite girl enthused, grinning at all of them, then focused on Caroline again. "I don't know how you juggle so many things, Care. You keep track of everything so incredibly well. You're like Pepper Potts."

The blonde girl just frowned, and Cynthia sighed.

"Who?"

"You and me, movie night ASAP. I can't believe you haven't watched Iron Man yet." Cynthia wasn't requesting, this was a demand. "Chill from all your business for one night and hang out with me," she added, just in case the other girl was going to try and bail because she thought the movie sounded stupid.

Much to Cynthia's relief, Caroline laughingly agreed while Bonnie tugged at both of their hands.

"Alright, come on, guys. Class time." The reluctant witch ordered.

* * *

History was more of a free period. Tanner had taken the 'stop teaching' directive seriously. All he did was list a chapter on the board for them to read and then instructed everyone to keep the volume down to a dull roar. The man then proceeded to talk to anyone remotely interested about the first game of the season, his amazing find of 'new and rare talent', and how the Mystic Falls Timberwolves were going to take state by storm this year. Just you wait.

Naturally, this meant that every one of the kids and their cousins were goofing off. Some of Cynthia's new/old classmates were on their phone. Others were milling around and chatting. A few students had even broken out some sort of card game in one corner of the room.

Cynthia was doodling in her notebook and typing a text to Damon about the results of his meddling. She had just pressed send when a warm voice drew her attention away.

"Hey."

The girl looked up into caring green eyes set deep beneath Stefan's very contemplative forehead. She gave him a grin and a salute. "'eyyy, 'ow are ye, matey?"

Perched on a vacated desk behind Stefan was her beautiful pretend twin. Elena was currently shaking her head and giggling. 'Cynthia, you are so weird. I can't take you anywhere."

"Feel free to let me skip school and stay at home then," she responded sweetly.

Stefan was nodding in agreement. For a second, Cynthia pretended it was with her, but his words put paid to that quite quickly. "It's true," Stefan said. "I fear that her strangeness may be incurable."

Gee, thanks Stef. "Your concern is noted and somewhat appreciated, but I'm five b five." Cynthia assured them both.

"See, that's what you say," Boy Wonder said stubbornly. "But your judgment may be impaired."

"I say it because it's _true_ , Stefan," Cynthia retorted in mock offense. "What are you talking about 'impaired', Salvatore? I don't even drink. I'm the last candidate for experimenting with recreational drugs."

Bonnie drifted over at this point, bless her heart. "It's true. That's why she almost never comes to parties."

"I'm going to have to side with my twin on this one." Aww, even Elena was standing up for her! The jewelry and speech were a smashing success! Cynthia was going to have to thank Damon again. "She hates pretty much all drugs. When Jeremy first started using, she pitched a fit worse than me. Since then, I think she decided to pretend it didn't exist."

Okay, ouch. Bad move, alter self. Bad move.

"But alcohol is like... It's more impossible to get her to talk positively about than dating." Elena continued.

Bonnie grinned, enjoying Cynthia squirming. She was sure of it. "We're pretty sure she plans on having nine cats or something."

"The only reason she even went to the game was to support you and Matt," Elena had wrapped her arms around Stefan in a hug, nuzzling his shoulder.

Cynthia was beyond weirded out. Really, they thought she couldn't be taken anywhere. Elena and Stefan were being all couple-ly and looking at each other with such adoration, and it was just making Cynthia heartsick and jealous. She cleared her throat uncomfortably.

"Ladies, I appreciate the support, but I _am_ right here. I can speak for myself too. And I'm still not looking for a romantic relationship," she glared briefly at Bonnie, although there was no heat too it. "Speaking of though, you," Cynthia pointed to Stefan, "still owe me cheese fries. You had better not bail."

Stefan gave her a half smile, glancing down to Elena's pleased face at the two bonding, then back to Cynthia. "I wouldn't dream of it. Meet me at the Grill after practice?"

"Whenever. Wherever," Cynthia responded, then promptly went back to her doodling and conversation with Damon. She did continue humming the Shakira song until Tanner finally snapped at her to stop.

* * *

 _School is so dulllllll_

 _Maybe you should_ _have_ _let me kill that coach then_

 _Don't be silly, hot shot. Your fangs are all mine_

 _Now who is possessive? Sorry, no can do, kitten.  
_ _There's more than enough of me to go around_

 _Crushing all my hopes and dreams in one fell swoop  
_ _I may never recover_

 _Soul crushing is one of my favorite hobbies_

 _And yet I keep coming back for more_

 _Secretly you enjoy it  
_ _Zach sends his love btw_

 _? He does!?  
_ _Has he finally accepted my suit?_

 _No, he doesn't  
Wouldn't hold my breath for that if I were you_

 _Right, because I'm a teenager again  
_ _Damn_

 _Be glad you aren't in Stefan's shoes_

 _I thank fate on the daily for being spared that_

* * *

Cynthia didn't pay a lick of attention to any of her other classes. It showed, but she didn't care. Not today, she was too absorbed with plotting. Her notebook was full of doodled names. People she needed to contact, and people she missed. There may be an unhealthy amount of phone numbers that Cynthia knew from memory as well that she was absolutely not considering dialing if there was a single payphone to be found in the area. Not at all. Writing them down was therapeutic, not because she worried she might forget them either.

Sheila Bennett was high at the top of Cynthia's priority list. But she wasn't alone up there. Jonathan Gilbert, her new father/uncle figure would be a prize if she could cultivate him. He would, after all, end up in possession of a white oak stake. Not to mention, Cynthia was fairly sure John was more on Isobel and his children's side than he was Katherine's. He might loathe vampires, but Cynthia hoped he might be a potential resource for information.

Then there was Elijah. One of the most reasonable of the Mikaelson siblings. Luckily, he should be undaggered. Cynthia knew that there was no way there would ever really be perfect peace in a town like Mystic Falls. Not with doppelgangers and vampires and all that lot, there would always be another Big Bad.

But she wasn't going to live through a TV show the exact way, or even close to the exact way, that she remembered it having played out. There was no way in God's green earth that she planned to be passive. Her brain would start dribbling out of her nose and ears from sheer boredom.

Besides, helping people won favors. And favors would be very necessary to ever go home.

She went to the Grill around 4 o'clock in the afternoon. A little bit earlier, to be honest, so Cynthia could try their phone without worrying about any eavesdroppers. None of the numbers went to someone she knew though, not even her ex-fiancé who she had thought would be the least likely candidate for Supernatural Witness Protection. Half of the phone numbers she tried weren't even in service.

Pushing that failure from her mind, Cynthia perched at the bar and started chattering happily with the bartender as she waited for Stefan. Her general reputation for being sober, unlike either of her siblings, earned her an amused conversational partner. They chatted about college and the futility of romance in a small town where everyone was everyone else's ex love.

Stefan showed up only a couple of minutes late. Cynthia twitched a smile at his nervous behavior. She wasn't offended that she didn't make his highest priority. Besides, he showed up at all, and didn't really need to earn 'date' points. All Stefan really needed to do to make Cynthia happy this afternoon was pay for her meal.

She supposed a nice conversation would be fine too.

"Cynthia. It's good to see you," he called out. Stefan was standing a few paces away from the bar, so Cynthia finally left her perch and skipped over to him.

"You _can_ call me Cyn, you know. Everyone else does." A pause. "Well, almost everyone does." Except, you know, your brother. Who has hopefully settled on the tolerable nickname of Kitten.

"Okay Cyn," Stefan gave her an adorable grin. Cynthia could appreciate what her not twin – and plenty of fans, and two blondes – found so attractive about the man. When he smiled, it made you want to smile. "Can I still buy you those fries? Or have I arrived too late to claim any of your time today?"

He was laying it on thick, and it was hilarious. Cynthia's smile was honest and bright as she looped elbows with the teen vamp. "You can absolutely treat me to cheese fries, my good man. Never say that I would deny you such an opportunity!"

* * *

A few minutes later, the two were seated comfortably in a booth. Cynthia had ordered a chocolate shake with a water on the side, and after a great deal of coaxing convinced Stefan to order a strawberry. The idea of course being that they could share. Not that Stefan needed to be aware of that part. Strawberry tasted good, and it would be silly for them to both get the same drink anyway. Besides, they were practically family.

Stefan hadn't seemed to appreciate that logic. Cynthia thought he might be on to her cunning plan.

They talked about empty things at first. How classes were. How they were adjusting. An apology for trying to convince the others she was drunk or compelled and to get their attention. (It wasn't what Stefan said, but Cynthia was pretty sure that was how she should translate 'Uh, I'm sorry about today in history. I was out of line with some of my comments.')

When the cheese fries arrived, Cynthia stole the first one before the waiter had even fully placed the plate on the table. She savored the taste before sighing happily and looking up to Stefan again.

"As you can see, your ploy to get me alone to talk has been successful. This is where you hit me with your best shot." Cynthia smirked then half sang, "Fire away."

Stefan was staring at her. Either because she kept singing, or because that was just Stefan's default. "I'm not sure how much you are aware."

"Gonna have to stop you there. I'm very aware." She interjected. "I have no blank spots since meeting Damon." Plenty before though.

The stare had shifted from intense to intensely puzzled. "None."

Stefan, dear, you usually aren't quite this slow.

"Yep. I remember this weekend quite clearly. Damon used 'Drain'. It was not very effective. We tried to give you a potion known as alcohol. You dodged. I won't say that I haven't been compelled at all, because maybe I wouldn't remember something small. But overall, I'd say Damon hasn't forced me to forget anything."

She sipped on her drink, pretending this wasn't an inquisition. Mmmn, chocolate.

"The fact that your so called friend could be controlling you, that's okay in your book? Even if he's making you okay with everything?" Stefan finally took a fry himself. "I hadn't thought it strange that you were fine with offering me a drink, but then Elena and Bonnie mentioned you hate alcohol. Don't you wonder what else about your personality he might have messed with?"

Cyn munched on her fries, contemplating how to answer the rather loaded questions.

"First, if I have been compelled to change my personality, there really isn't anything that will reverse it. Short of the said vampire dying. Which I do not approve of, by the way. Nor should you. You insisted on him turning, so you're stuck with him. Fratricide is bad."

It was such a shame that she couldn't just stare right back at Stefan and observe his minute reactions. Sadly, getting her point across took priority. "Second, you seem to be operating under the assumption that just because your brother has his emotions turned off and has embraced his vampirism, he therefore must be a monster. Don't you see how that is a false equivalency? He's a person. A person who doesn't know how to handle high expectations. I expect he is used to failing them and being considered a disappointment, so he decided one day, why bother. He also happens to be someone whom I quite like."

Stefan leaned forward, pressing his hands together as he did so.

"But don't you get it? Turning off your humanity, your emotions. That's exactly what a monster is. Someone who kills just for sport. Who doesn't care who they hurt in the process."

"And yet here I stand," Cynthia pointed out. "Vicki is still alive too. I'm not sure that I could say Damon _cares_ about me. That would be reaching. He does, however, find my willingness to feed him useful. I know for a fact that I'm not the only human cool with donating my blood either."

Hell, when she had actually lived through this decade the first time around, Cynthia had been a part of a fandom that damn near fetishized being fed off of by vampires. As bizarre as it had seemed at the time, Cynthia couldn't honestly say she found the process horrifying or discomfiting anymore. Who knew the desensitization could come so in handy?

"Besides, I would think you'd be more appreciative, Stef. Your big brother isn't running around and hunting prey. Think of all the casualties saved, if that helps you sleep better."

Stefan considered her words before half shrugging. "The others probably aren't okay with quite to the extreme that you are."

He didn't mention any gratitude. Maybe he considered her a casualty as well.

Cynthia smiled up at him, his shake mysteriously in her hand. "I'm just lucky I guess!" Stealing some of the strawberry, she promptly abandoned it for more cheese fries, giggling as Stefan playfully swiped the glass and hid it from her. She thought about trying to hold a council of sorts with all three of the Salvatore men and pretending that she and Damon hadn't already had a night long discussion about the things she could remember from the Vampire Diaries show. Cyn scrapped the idea shortly thereafter. Repetition and waiting were both boring and cost precious advantages.

"The whole of the Founders' Council is aware of vampires, by the way. Heads up."

Stefan almost choked on his drink. Lucky for him he didn't really need air.

Did he?

Come to think of it, she was pretty sure that vampires could be suffocated. They just bounced back. Whoops, her bad then.

"How?" Came the impressively intelligible response once Stefan had recovered.

"Journaling seems to be rather a thing amongst founding families. Not just a Elena and you thing to bond over. Their – our – ancestors from the last time _they_ walked boldly amongst this town left journals that are passed down to this day. The secret and belief along with it. Not to every member, and usually not to children, but passed down all the same. I'm not sure exactly how detailed they were, but I do know that the Gilbert pocket watch may be in use sooner than later."

In the same breath, as if it weren't a topic change, Cynthia leaned forward and stared intently right back at Stefan. "My turn to ask questions. What are your intentions towards Elena."

The distraction worked as a very confused and slightly put off Stefan reared back from the table. "I don't know what you think of me, of us, given what you know about Damon, but I would never hurt her."

"Don't be silly," Cynthia accepted easily. "Stefan, I know how crazy about her you are. And how much fun you are having playing human for her so you can get to know her better. But that doesn't tell me your ultimate intentions towards my twin." That felt so ungainly on her tongue still. Twin. The term didn't belong to Elena in her mind. How could it? When where everyone else saw compassion and selflessness she saw a myopic, emotional view of the world.

Still, the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb and all that. Cynthia supposed she wasn't alone in feeling that way. And maybe things would improve in time.

Stefan was giving her a half smile – clearly unaware of how much she was mentally critiquing the current epic love of his life – then stared at the near empty plate of cheese fries. Hey, you snooze you lose. Then, seeing as she had stolen his shake again, Stefan retaliated by stealing hers.

"I do want to get to know her," the thief agreed. "She is such a beautiful and kind person. She's all the best parts of humanity."

Cynthia tilted her head, watching him curiously. "Am I the worst?"

If that was the case, maybe she could call Elena twin. They'd make for a nice set of bookends, being opposites and all that.

"I wouldn't say that," Stefan assured. "I'm not always convinced you _are_ human, but you definitely aren't just the bad. I've seen you. You look out for people. Don't think I didn't notice the new jewelry today."

She politely refrained from telling Stefan that it had been a bribe. Or that Damon had paid – or more probably _not_ paid – for them in the first place. Cynthia decided to interrupt this before Stefan could proceed to the logical question of 'where did you get the vervain that I smelled on them'.

"So, what are you going to do when Elena realizes what you are and freaks? Because she will. Elena isn't nearly as chill and open minded about the undead existing as I am. She gets bent out of shape about secrets and deaths that can't be changed."

In some respects, Elena's demand to see the best in people was admirable, but it had its flaws. Much like Caroline's optimism, or Bonnie's willingness to sacrifice her all for her friends.

"She's very compassionate." Cynthia wasn't sure if Stefan was agreeing with her or correcting her.

Either way, Cyn dipped her head in agreement. "I know she is, Stef. That's why I know she'll be horrified at first over all of this. All of the people that Damon has killed this month alone... Elena won't know how to feel, how to react, or what to believe."

"You don't seem to be too upset about it. Maybe she'll come around."

Well, they had been completely fictional before she arrived here, so it was hard to care too much.

"You're reaching, and you know it. I don't care about what or who Damon has done in the past. I don't care who you've killed in your past either. Because it's in the past. No one is perfect. What _I_ care about is you and Elena playing ping pong with each other's hearts. "

"If Elena doesn't want me around, then I'll leave. It's as simple as that," Stefan said at length. "I'm not looking to play with her emotions, Cynthia. I genuinely enjoy spending time with her, and I want to treasure the time with her I can have. It's a risk, and I'm well aware of that. But I'll look out for her."

Cynthia stacked the empty drinks on the equally barren plate.

"I believe you, Stef. And... I know this is going to sound weird given everything I just said, but I think you should be more honest with her. It isn't fair to lure her in and capture her heart under false pretenses, any more than it is fair to you for her to judge you based off her own preconceived notions. You should at least tell her the truth about Katherine."

She stood to leave, and Stefan quickly followed. "What did Damon tell you about Katherine?"

Facing the vampire now in front of her, Cynthia patted his cheek.

"Enough. Oh, speaking of honesty. I'm going to be telling my family and friends the truth about vampires soon. I won't out you boys, but I'm not going to leave them unprotected either. There's too much risk." Then she smiled happily and started to move away, "Thanks for the food and the chat. Give my love to Zach for me!"

"Not Damon?" Stefan called after her.

Knowing that she didn't really need to turn around, Cynthia smirked at his question and only paused her steps long enough to answer. "Damon already knows precisely where my heart lies, and what he is to me in turn."

* * *

In a pleasant contrast to the thinly veiled tension with Stefan, movie night with Caroline was absolutely fun and smooth sailing. Sheriff Forbes wasn't home yet, so the two had the run of the whole house. They had microwaved bags of popcorn for themselves and then melted chocolate chips into them. The Forbes were clearly superior to the Gilberts, seeing as they _had_ chocolate chips on hand. Cynthia put in the dvd while Caroline poured them both tall glasses of soda.

"What's so special about this movie anyway?" The blonde asked.

"Well, it's amazing," Cynthia reassured her. "Plus there's RDJ – Robert Downey Jr – who is beyond brilliant. Just give it a try. Sassy superhero origin stories are fun. I swear."

And Caroline did give it a try. There were a couple of pauses, but the future Miss Mystic Falls watched all of the movie with Cynthia. The brunette dimension traveler was terribly proud.

"What did you think?" She prompted, honestly curious.

Her blonde friend looked mischievous. "Digging older men, Cyn? Who knew? No wonder you don't like any of the boys at school."

Cynthia gave a frustrated groan at that. "Don't even start with that, Caroline Forbes. Just because y'all are boy crazy doesn't mean I have to be."

"C'mon Cyn. Let me live vicariously through you," Caroline half whined. "I'm definitely like Pepper in that even serial womanizers ignore the fact of my existence romantically. My mystery guy vanished after that night at the bonfire."

Firstly, that would be the part of Pepper Potts' story that Care commented on first. Secondly, "Mystery guy?"

The other girl nodded, "Bon didn't see him, but there was this absolutely gorgeous guy in Mainline that night. He left so quickly though. I never got his name much less his number."

She knew full well that Care's mystery guy had been Damon luring in an easy feed. As much as she liked him, the way he had would have treated Caroline was not right.

"Then you deserve better. Don't settle for someone who isn't willing to and interested in getting to know you. I know a lot of people look at you and just think you're this shallow one trick pony or something. But you aren't, Care. Don't let anyone convince you that you are. Not even yourself."

Cynthia grabbed both of their abandoned bags of popcorn, as well as the fallen paper towels streaked with chocolate. When she stood back up, she found Caroline staring at her oddly.

"You really think I'm like Pepper?"

"Sure," Cynthia nodded. "You both take no nonsense. You couldn't really see it in this film, but one day, Stark is going to make her CEO officially. Because, let's face it, she already runs him and the company." She crumpled up the trash in her hands and tossed it before turning back to Caroline. "Except, someday, Care, you're going to take on the world."

The blonde laughed, but Cyn could tell she didn't buy it. Her eyes were too sad. "I don't exactly have a Tony Stark."

She just shrugged. "No, but that's not the worst thing. Stark is a shining example of the dangers that come with too much money and no impulse control. Besides, you'll find love in time. There will probably be some false starts; there usually is. But you'll get there. It isn't a race."

"Maybe."

Cynthia considered the obviously doubtful and still insecure face in front of her. Little surprise, Cynthia didn't exactly pride herself on her amazingly persuasive public speaking skills. She just wanted Caroline to know that she had support.

"Hey, have you ever thought about vlogging?" She asked, deciding to at least try to find a less depressing subject. "I know you can't possibly have much free time as it is, but you might be good at it."

Brooding derailed, Caroline was looking at her curiously now. "Vlog?"

"Yeah, video blogging. Usually on YouTube," Cynthia nodded, crashing on a couch since they were clearly going to be talking for a while before she went home. If she didn't sleep over.

"Why would I do that?" She sounded curious, but a little put off. Being a YouTube personality either sounded dumb or unrealistic to her, Cyn supposed.

She shrugged. "Maybe you wouldn't. It was just a thought. You're on point with both make up and fashion, and I'll bet you anything that there will be a day that people look to video gurus for tips on those."

They slipped into a comfortable silence, sitting next to each other now. It was actually nice. Being able to daydream, pretend all of this was normal. That Caroline was just a good friend going through a rough patch that she was trying to help as best she could.

The blonde leaned against her shoulder, and Cynthia started to pet the other girl's hair soothingly. She thought idly about how useful Bill Forbes might be. Someone with the ability to resist and overthrow compulsion wasn't a resource to throw away in haste. Still, someone who could torture his own daughter to 'help make her better' wasn't exactly a person that Cynthia wanted to invite into her little not life here. Besides which, asking Care to invite her dad back home would be positively mercenary. It was one thing to ask for magical help from a witch. It was another to poke at old, still healing wounds within a family just on the off chance there was some benefit.

So no.

"Does Pepper have a family?" Caroline asked quietly, still using Cynthia's shoulder as a pillow.

She didn't stop threading her hair through the other girl's hair, but she did have to consider for a bit. "Good question. I think in the comics she marries Happy – the chauffeur – and they may adopt kids. I don't think it's ever mentioned in the movies though." Nervously, she tacked on, "Well, the movie."

"That's... that's sad."

Cynthia hummed in agreement. "Yeah. Yeah it is. I'm sure she has some sort of family, no matter how dysfunctional. How are things with you and your parents? I know holidays have to be awkward."

"I just end up celebrating holidays twice most times. It's rough, but it's not like they're dead, you know? I just miss my dad. He's the one that really gets me."

Belatedly, Caroline winced, seeming to realize how poorly her cavalier statement about death might be taken.

"I don't think we should compare our parental losses or pain, Care. They're different, nonequivalent situations. Your parents may be alive, but how often do you really get to see them? It's still a mess you shouldn't have to deal with."

"Dad calls sometimes. But he's so wrapped up in Steven and his family. Mom – as you know – is almost never around. Especially these days. She's always in uniform and worrying about animal attacks. She's been _obsessed_ lately. She doesn't even bother to pretend to play mom to me anymore."

Ouch, harsh. Especially given Cynthia knew how hard Liz was trying to protect her daughter. And would do so even if and after Caroline transitioned into a vampire.

"What's so special about animal attacks?" Cynthia asked, playing devil's advocate. "I mean, do they have anything significant in common? Anything suspicious?"

"Not that I know of," Caroline shrugged. "I mean, they were all at night, and mostly near the woods I think. We just have bad luck. I mean, it's Mystic Falls. The only bad thing that happens here is sometimes an animal goes rabid and gnaws on people."

Cynthia hopped up to her feet. "Why don't we find out? See if there is a reason your mom is going so crazy over all of this. And if not, then we confront her. I'll even make a powerpoint with plenty of pictures and transitions."

Her blonde friend giggled at that, but wasn't sold.

"Caroline Forbes, if you want your mother back – and I know you do – then you're gonna have to work at it to snap her out of this funk. That's all. We'll get through to her."

* * *

Tuesday was a bust. Which was rather a shame. Cynthia normally quite liked Tuesdays on principle. The others were swamped with homework, and Jeremy with being high drunk, and pining over a girl who kept stringing him along to fuel her own ego. Although credit where it was due, Vicki did do her best to help out her little brother. And for that, Cynthia could respect her. Not wanting her and Jeremy to be a long term thing was more of a 'the sort of person she encourages him to be' thing. Besides, someone could have redeeming qualities and still have a lot of growing up to do.

Wednesday was starting much the same, still with no word from Caroline about actually investigating with her. Either the blonde had decided to go it alone, or she didn't want to acknowledge a topic that made her feel vulnerable. Either way, Cynthia was agonizingly bored, and Damon hadn't texted her back since her date with Stefan.

A girl could get jealous. A girl has no name.

Cynthia wanted to tell herself that she didn't need the stupid vampire anyway. But Damon was the only one who knew everything. Because he was the only one she could really trust to take her seriously, and who might see any advantage in helping her. The fact he was good company was more of an added bonus.

So she would just have to take matters into her own hands.

"Hey, Aunt Jenna?" Cynthia leaned against the kitchen counter as her beautiful pseudo aunt was glaring at the news. "On a scale of weird to worried, how would you rate hidden indoor gardening?"

She practically floated to school that day, a smile continuously threatening to cross her features. Jenna was going to be having a talk with Zach today about growing illicit plants. Because why else would it be so well hidden? Her good mood was causing her baby bro to frown though. What a sad family dynamic they had.

"What's gotten you so cheerful this early in the morning?" He asked, pulling an earbud out so he could actually talk to her for once.

Cynthia mentally completed back flips.

"Oh, I talked to Jenna about something Damon and I discovered when we were hanging out. There's a hidden away garden in the basement. Jenna's convinced it must be weed or something. It's just kind of hilarious, given how much grief Elena gives you."

The fifteen year old tipped a smile himself. "Yeah. Maybe the Salvatores aren't that bad."

* * *

By Wednesday night, Cynthia was beyond done. The laptop was fighting her still, so she went to Elena. She wasn't sure which of them was more tech savvy, but, at a guess, Elena knew her actual twin better. And that guess paid off in spades. Elena playfully checked her for a concussion, because apparently she'd used the same password for everything – that was so changing pronto – but was willing to help all the same.

Now with the internet at her fingertips again, Cynthia at least had something to occupy her. Including reading scattered diary entries hidden under three folders worth of random poems and pictures. There wasn't really anything _useful_ like she had hoped though. At least, not that Cynthia had found yet. The only conclusion she had been able to draw was that for one reason or another, the original Cynthia Gilbert had felt overwhelmed. Grief did that to you.

She glared at the computer screen as the pixels informed her that it was 11:37 at night. She should sleep, no matter how wired and antsy. But screw it. School could be sacrificed for progress. There was no way of knowing how time functioned here in comparison to her world. She shouldn't just be hanging around and doing nothing just because Damon wasn't around.

Closing the laptop and switching off the battery to the mouse, Cynthia stowed it away under her bed. Then she searched through her dresser, looking for sturdy wear that she wouldn't cry over destroying. Luckily or not, that consisted of about half of the wardrobe she inherited here. Changing out of her pyjamas and into the new clothes, Cynthia scoured around her closet and drawers for an empty backpack and a working flashlight. She pocketed her phone and grabbed a pair of old beat up tennis shoes, then headed downstairs as quietly as she could.

Jenna was studying in her room. Or at least, she assumed that was why the bedroom light was on and music was playing on a low volume, accompanied by occasional muttering. Both of her not siblings were walled in their own rooms, hopefully oblivious to her movements, because she so didn't want to explain.

Cynthia grabbed a water bottle on her way out the door, before claiming the last item she needed for this little mission, a shovel.

Nothing says Thursday like grave robbing. She had a grimoire to find, and quite the walk in the dark to get there. Was this a safe or clever idea? Absolutely not. That wasn't going to stop Cynthia though. She did text Damon, just for general open communication.

 _I'm gonna desecrate your dad's grave_

 _Speak now or forever hold your peace_

Throwing the shovel over her shoulder, Cynthia started the walk to the cemetery.

Damon met her at the entrance, and she tossed the shovel at him without a thought.'

"Did I stop being boring now? Or did I interrupt you imitating Stefan?" She hissed

Damon caught the shovel – stupid vampire reflexes – and then held his hands up in surrender. "Hold your fire. For one, I'm not interested in teen drama between us. For two, I've been working on distilling vervain so I can start building a tolerance." He paused as Cynthia shone her flashlight straight into his eyes, as she was feeling rather petty. Wincing and looking away, Damon continued. "I found a blood to alcohol ratio that Stefan didn't actually notice. That's something, isn't it?"

Cynthia huffed, then walked up the man and grabbed his arm.

"What, a drop of bagged blood to a bottle of alcohol?"

The twitch on Damon's face said that she was either right, or he was too amused to correct her.

"So what are we doing digging up dear old dad, again?"

It was kind of nice to know that Damon hadn't come just for Katherine, seeing as he'd apparently forgotten that little detail. Admittedly, their conversation had been pretty packed, and all of the particulars were bound to blur. But still, it was... nice.

Cynthia tucked her hair over and behind her ears before grinning slyly to her partner in crime.

"Getting a jump on all the other interested parties. We're going to find Emily Bennett's lost book of shadows, so to speak. Step one in convincing the living Bennett witches to help. Along with promising to kill almost all of the other vampires." Pearl and Harper were civilized, that much Cynthia remembered. The others... the tomb vampires tried to destroy the town. And ended up slaughtered, after advertising Katherine's status as 'alive'.

Damon had stopped walking to stare at her, his sudden stillness causing Cynthia to rock back as her own momentum was usurped by his inertia. This time, the girl shined the flashlight away from his face, just close enough to allow her to see his expression.

"You okay there?"

He stayed quiet for a while. "Why are you doing this? With her spell book, I could get any witch to open the tomb, as soon as I get my crystal this weekend. I could grab Katherine and ride into the sunset without you, kitten. You must be awfully sure she's not in there. Or you're playing a deeper game. What is it?"


	7. Chapter 7

Cynthia held her breath and counted to ten to resist the urge to swing her shovel against Damon's thick skull. She knew that Damon probably had trust issues that required seven league boots to traverse, but _come on_. Throw her a bone here.

"Do you have _any_ idea how agonizing it is living through the slow path of a story you already know? It's like waking up on January first knowing your Christmas presents three years from then. And every other birthday and holiday."

Seriously, she had made and thrown out over a dozen plans. Mapped people she needed to talk to, how to get a hold of them, events she wanted altered, the whole shebang. In the end, it was just a mess of utter boring that Cynthia didn't want to touch. There was nothing wrong with a normal day to day life, a house with doors and carpets, and a mortgage or roommates. Except for the part where no one in Mystic Falls could really safely live a 'normal' life.

Beyond even trying to plan for the future, it was seriously mind numbingly boring. When you watch a show, it skips over all the tedious bits between plot and drama. Now, Cynthia had to live through it. Rewatching episodes is bad enough if you're not interested in rehashing the story – news flash: she wasn't – but this idling interim was driving her slowly mad. There was so much new and alien to her, and so very little joy.

Settling for a compromise with herself, Cynthia scooped up a shovelful of dirt and then flung it at Damon's clothes. That may or may not have set off a playful tussle that was not precisely productive in terms of digging up Giuseppe. But details.

By the end, both dimension traveler and mistrustful vampire were dirt covered and laughing. Cynthia stole a hug in a moment of rest. If he hadn't caught that she liked and trusted him from her actions so far, more words weren't going to help.

"Stefan didn't make any shirty comments about vervain or something, did he? Because if he did, I'm going to soak him in a vat of it."

Damon smirked at that. "Well, now I feel almost obligated to say yes."

Whatever had caused the flare up of jealousy, insecurity, distrust, or whatever had been hounding Damon, he clearly did not intend to share.

Cynthia rested her shovel on the ground again as Damon stared at her.

"If I have to go to school one more day this week, then there will be chaos and mayhem. And then Elena will be upset since she only approves of drunken fun. Then Stefan will brood, and Jenna will get involved, and I would just rather avoid all of that. Soooo, can we go dig up Daddy now?" She tugged at his hand, grinning with her tongue tucked between her teeth. "You can tell him how his beloved, bigoted Confederacy lost the war. Although, give it a decade or so and who knows where America will be."

She might almost prefer vampires if their future presidential candidates were more promising. Then again, world and life ending chaos on a massive scale wasn't precisely comparable, was it? They say history repeats, so maybe it will all be more of the same anyway.

"If I'm still here when all of the dust settles, so to speak, you should take me to Europe. We could have a ball," Cynthia babbled aimlessly. "Even if you do find Katherine. I'm sure she won't begrudge _one_ favor, do you?"

Damon looked amused, she could just tell by the flickering electric torch light. "Do I even want to ask?"

"Only you can answer that question," Cynthia said solemnly. "Now, you, find me his stupid gravestone so I can dig up the correct dirt. I'll get started. You can get another shovel and a carton of eggs. Grave robbing waits for no man."

He was too far out of the light to be properly seen, but she did catch a choked question. "Eggs?"

"Mhmn," Cynthia nodded in response to his query, ignoring his piercing gaze again as best she could. "I did say we were going to desecrate it. If anyone asks, I blame Tyler."

Because he was a complete douche who had a thing against Stefan. Kind of weird, all up in arms about his bestie's ex girlfriend but has noooo problem whatsoever banging said best friend's sister.

Did Tyler have a thing for Elena?

Because that would be hilarious.

Maybe it was just an anti Gilbert sentiment.

Cynthia's musing kept her occupied as they moved on. Literally, Damon had finally started to lead the way. For a small town, the cemetery was appropriately large. Cynthia set her pack down next to the tombstone and rested the light on top to give as much light to the area as it could.

Feeling his eyes on her again, Cynthia looked up. "Do you wanna vamp speed this done? Or are you going to go and get yourself a shovel and help me out here?"

"Sorry boss," Damon could fake contrite unnervingly well. "I'll get right on that."

"See that you do," Cynthia repressed the urge to giggle. "And don't forget the eggs!"

Damon sped away, leaving Cynthia alone to stubborn soil and her thoughts. Grave robbing wasn't something she had considered in her own life. Only a few minutes in to attempting to dig up a coffin the long way, and the girl knew that it was not going in her future career possibilities either. Cemeteries were creepy at night, and the work was hard on the arms. Knowing that ghosts existed in this reality was not helping matters. Giuseppe had been pure human, so hopefully he had passed on and wasn't yelling at her from the Other Side right now.

If he was, then screw him.

"What did this Tyler ever do to you?" Damon asked as he rejoined her with his own shovel swinging loosely in one of his hands.

She shrugged at his question. "Long story, but in general, not a fan." Definitely not of the boy right now, anyway.

The vampire shrugged at her evasion and promptly switched tacks. "This is as far as you got? It's been almost ten minutes, slowpoke."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Am I not working quickly enough for you?" Cynthia asked regretfully, contemplating the wisdom of engaging in a proper dirt war now that they both had shovels.

"Not even close. I don't want to stay here a second longer than necessary."

That being said though, Damon did start helping. He was far quicker than Cynthia was. What a jerk.

A useful jerk, but the smugness made him a jerk all the same.

"So what are you going to do if the grimoire isn't in his grave?" He asked conversationally, either because he still wanted to test her or he was actually curious. Cynthia wasn't sure which.

Regardless of his motives, Cynthia didn't waste a beat. "Salt and burn his bones, Pikachu. Might do that anyway, if you don't mind fetching salt."

His mild reproof held humor, but was a clear 'no' all the same. "I'm not a delivery boy. Amazon doesn't deliver at vampire speed."

Yet. Ha!

"Aww, but you could be a great mail man!" Cynthia grinned up to him, hoping he could see her in the dim light. Vampires have heightened senses, but does that grant them dark vision, effectively? Or no?

Anyway, Cynthia was pretty sure that there were plenty of people she could get to agree that Damon would rock at going postal. Joining the post office, going on murder sprees, being a secret lover, he could do it all. How could delivery possibly hold a chance at slowing him down?

"Why would you want salt anyway?" Damon asked, effectively cutting off her mental rambling. For the best, Cynthia supposed. "What's the point?"

"If you were Voldemort, it would prevent you or Stefan from using a dark, necromantic ritual to come back to life as a snake hybrid. More relevantly, supposedly it prevents ghosts. Something about part of the body, hair, bones, or blood, having to be left. I'm not well versed in Supernatural at all. But I thought it might be poetic if nothing else."

Cynthia had trailed off, her voice growing quieter self consciously as she threw herself more and more into digging. Damon didn't want to do emotions at this point, and very well might not appreciate her suggestion.

All he did was keep digging and reply mildly, "I'll keep that in mind the next time I get an itch to dig up the dead."

* * *

Once they had finally reached the casket, Damon jumped her out of the pit. When asked, he claimed it was because she was a hazard to herself – okay, so she had continued trying to dig through the wood of the coffin, but it wasn't her fault her hearing wasn't good enough to distinguish between soft rock and wood. Cynthia suspected he might want a moment alone though. Either with his dad or just to test the truth about the grimoire.

Either way, in the space of a few moments, the bound journal was placed into her hands.

"Your spoils, my lady. I'll close it back up. Look for that tomb spell. I don't trust him to not have removed it. Not the nicest of men, my father."

Cynthia had no idea what she was looking for, but she tried skimming the book with the aid of the now dying flashlight. She kept hitting it, as if that was going to actually fix the battery problem. The light did flare occasionally, so Cynthia just went with it.

"Any luck?"

He was not done filling it in already, was he? He was. What in the seven bleeding hells? Just?

Ugh, vampires.

"Honestly, I think you need a witch to know for sure. I'm not really sure what I'm reading. My Latin is outrageously rusty, and I'm not seeing any recognizable diagrams. I think I might have saw the pendant a while back, but that either could have been to charge the crystal or to use it."

"A witch, huh?"

Damon was looking at her again and very clearly grinning, and Cynthia suddenly wasn't sure if she was going to like what happened next. He looked far too pleased. Not knowing if the spell existed should not make Damon look happy.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Cynthia asked cautiously, relacing her arms through the straps of her pack.

"Oh, no reason," Damon was smirking now. "I brought my car along with the shovels. Let's go."

* * *

It took longer than it should for Cynthia to realize they weren't going to either the Gilbert's or the Salvatore's house. In her defense, this was not entirely because she was bad at direction. She actually did just fine during the day. It was more that this town was relatively new to her – especially in terms of navigating it and not just recognizing buildings as being frequently used settings. The dim light didn't help, that was all.

Driving past the town limits was a bit of a giveaway. Truthfully, it was going over fifteen minutes without passing a single street light that completely convinced Cynthia.

"Where exactly are we going, Damon?"

Don't say the haunted witch house. Don't say the haunted witch house.

Damon's smile was all edges as he lowered his radio enough for her to hear him properly. "You said we needed a witch. I'm getting a witch."

Her brain was stuttering to a stop. She could feel it.

"But the Bennett's live in town," Cynthia said slowly. She was missing something. Something that should be obvious.

"Didn't say it was a Bennett witch. Settle down, kitten. It's a long ride to Georgia."

Damon was toying with her now. Oh, she was sure the man was completely serious about driving to Georgia. That must be where that witch of his that he'd promptly killed lived. But really? Dragging her on a road trip with no preparation or even a change of clothes?

This was just cruel.

To be sure that he knew how she felt, Cynthia started singing as obnoxiously loud as she could, and not to the songs playing on the radio. A few songs in, Damon leaned over and whispered in her ear, "This is not a game you are going to win, kitten."

Challenge accepted. She just sang louder. Damon raised the volume on the radio to the point where Cynthia could feel her eardrums crying. She shut up, then huddled down in her seat and sulked for a minute until Damon's laughter drew her back.

The blissful quiet helped too.

"How long is this trip going to be?" Should she text aunt figure Jenna and give her a heads up? Or was texting in the middle of the night, known as three am, a bad idea?

Maybe later. At a more decent hour, Cynthia could text and say she needed a personal day and that she had left before school. If she remembered to.

"As long as it needs to be." Damon was a clear fountain of information. "That's all you have to say? Because, I have to admit, I was hoping for a bit more fun for the next several hours."

Cynthia just snorted. "If you want fun, you need to give me sugar. And soda. Both. My brain runs on sugar and water and sunshine and happiness! I mean, all brains run on sugar. And I know serotonin and dopamine are the only two things we really enjoy, but sugar and sunshine do a pretty good job of producing those for me."

"And the water?"

Damon was laughing at her. She might sulk.

"I get thirsty, especially when I drink soda. But I also just get thirsty. Water tastes good."

He was smirking at her again. "So does blood. And alcohol."

Cynthia huffed. "I'm napping. Food when the sun comes up."

That was so and order, not a request.

* * *

"That's six hours of my life that you owe me."

She wasn't even fully aware and this man was complaining. How close of attention was Damon paying to her heart rate and breathing pattern anyway? Cynthia rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, bringing the seat back to an upright position. It was too cramped with windows and roof up to properly stretch, but she did several neck isolations at least. First clockwise and then counterclockwise. Or, as she preferred to call it, widdershins.

"What're you talking about, Pikachu? You owe me like three days."

The question was half slurred from sleep as Cynthia twisted around, looking for her phone. After a slightly mad search, she ended up fishing it out from where it had fallen between the seat and the door.

"Who's counting?" Damon replied casually. She wanted to throw something at his smug perfect face. "All's well that ends well, right?"

Cynthia grumbled in reply and focused on her phone. How beautiful, she had a bevy of texts and missed calls to reply to. Even one from Matt and Jeremy. She sent everyone (copy and pasting because she was not that dedicated) a generic apology saying that she was sorry, today had hit her extremely hard. She had stayed up thinking about the upcoming Founders Ball that meant so much to Mom and Dad, and she had to take a personal day.

It felt super weird to use Mom and Dad still. How was she going to fare with John Gilbert? Assuming she actually was Elena's twin, which seemed possible enough. At least, her physical form appeared to be related to Elena.

Cynthia sent the same message to everyone – including her possible future brother in law – except for Jeremy. To him, she added: _Nice to know you would miss me, loser. Have you asked her? Or are you just going to let Ty win by default?_

Maybe not nice to get involved, but Jeremy could seriously do better than drunk puppy dog. It wasn't his best look. It wasn't that she particularly liked Vicki any more today, but happiness was important. And not just hers. Jeremy found a lot of happiness with Vicki. That was a good enough reason, in Cynthia's book.

Flicking her phone to vibrate instead of sound, Cynthia twisted her head to stare at Damon who was staring at her instead of the road.

"Can the human get food now? Or is eating still not in your master agenda?"

Damon chose then to finally look back at the road _as he should have been the whole time_. How good of him. The corners of his mouth were curling in an annoyingly pleasant smile. Cynthia was hungry. She was not in the mood for these shenanigans.

"I can't tell you my secret diabolical plans, Cynthia! If I did, I'd have to kill you. And you are actually tolerable company, so that would be quite the shame."

"Please, Damon. Don't be shy. Feel free to tell me how awesome I am," Cynthia bit back at him. "Wax eloquent; I won't judge. Much."

Her kidnapper chauffeur snorted, then reached over and ruffled her hair. "Keep dreaming, sweetheart."

Dirt fell onto her shoulders, and Cynthia mourned the fact Damon apparently didn't believe in allowing people things like showers before stealing them for road trips. What happened to the glamour of a tv show? Damon might be able to pull any look off, but this was not Cynthia's idea of a good time.

They stopped by a gas station not long later, and she did her best to clean out the caked dirt from her skin and hair. Her clothes were a complete bust, unfortunately. A proper wash might save them, but all she would accomplish by scrubbing it with soap in a gas station bathroom would be to make it and her skin wet.

The petite brunette crumpled up all the dirty paper towels she had accumulated and chucked them in the bin before leaving in search of proper food. Using the term proper very loosely, of course. It took a matter of moments to resign herself that she would not be getting vanilla coke. No such beast seemed to exist at this little shop, much less pre-refrigerated. Instead, Cynthia got a proper sized bag of white cheddar popcorn, several bags of Wildberry Skittles, and a large bottle of both water and Mountain Dew. And, because she was done with being completely covered in filth, Cynthia also grabbed a shirt. Her choices were Disney or touristy, so she went with Tinkerbell.

It was somewhat size appropriate, anyway. And it wasn't like she had an attachment to the Carolinas.

"I see you believe in keeping a very healthy diet," Damon quipped, but didn't tell her to put anything back. That earned him a bright smile.

Cynthia stuck her tongue out at him playfully when the vampire started to read the nutrition facts. So didn't want to hear it, she wasn't the one that decided a gas station was the best place to get food.

Damon tapped her nose and warned, "Careful," before turning to the gas station attendant and leaving Cynthia very confused. She wandered off back to the restroom with her new shirt since it had been scanned, wondering what exactly that 'careful' had been in reference of.

* * *

"Sooo do you... want to play road trip games or something? Because this whole silence thing is going to get boring fast. Actually, no, it already is. I'll go back to sleep and leave you miserable if things don't change soon." That was a horrible lie. She was too wired to sleep. Cynthia was happily nomming on skittles already, her legs bouncing against the seat. "I've only seen a handful of state license plates at best though. And if we play punch bug, you'll probably take out my arm. So I'm not sure what we could play really."

"Want to play bumper cars or demolition derby?" Damon asked darkly, his eyes and smile far too bright in comparison.

Cynthia scrunched up her nose in distaste, tensing slightly at the idea even though she _thought_ he was joking. "No, no I don't. Why would you risk your car anyway?"

Damon rolled his eyes, as if she should have known he had no intention of risking his baby. "You really have to stop petty things like realism from getting you down, kid. We're living in a tv show, and I'm a main character. Embrace your secret extra self."

Despite herself, Cynthia found a smile twitching across her lips. "Is that how we're playing it now? How very Goosebumps."

"Oh, absolutely," he sassed back. 'I can't wait until the part where... Mn, no, actually, if Katherine really is a bitch, the last thing I want to do is steal goodie two shoes Elena from my brother. Nice to know it would have worked, but I'll pass. On the _fun_ side, I have a little guide to help make everything so much more fun and exciting."

Yeah, she was definitely smiling now.

"Figured out where we're going yet, kitten? Excited?"

Cynthia fixed him with the dullest of stares she could manage while wanting to bounce through the roof with her pretty candy. "A bar. In the middle of the day, I'm thrilled. You going to dance with me, Salvatore? Or just drink my weight in alcohol?"

"Please. Why would I stop at your weight? Afraid I'll drive while intoxicated?" He asked mischievously. "You got a thing with cars? Because I've never seen you drive. You haven't taken your not parents watery death personally have you?"

Cynthia shook her head viciously, chewing unnecessarily hard now. "Nope, all me. But you know what? Wild berry skittles makes everything better. No. Sugar makes everything better. It's magic. I bet if I poured a pixie stick on you and you had enough faith and trust that it would work too, we could go fly up to the moon!"

Babble and distract. Not even entirely intentionally. It was hard to stay in a brooding mood, and that was no fun anyhow so why try?

"And straight on til morning?" Damon asked wryly, much to her pleasure.

Cynthia fist pumped the air. "Yeah! Exactly!"

"Isn't it supposed to be the second or third star, not the moon?"

"Damon, Damon. If we don't go to the moon, how will we ever see what spring is like on Mars?" She almost managed to sound mournful at his lack of imagination.

"Space rovers? They're the newest thing, you might not have heard of them, seeing as you're from another planet, kitten. But how they work is..."

"Ugh," Cynthia cut him off, mock shoving his arm. "Lame, Damon. Lame. What is this, pick on the human day? Why don't we talk about the fact you want to drive several states rather than just picking up the phone and giving you're witchy ex a call?"

"How is she supposed to read the grimoire over the phone? Think it through, Cyn. Besides, you apparently can't handle going to school again this week. You should be thanking me for rescuing you."

"Thank you, Damon," Cynthia said sweetly, then turned to the window to stare at the blurring trees for a while.

It occurred to Cynthia that on some level, Damon might actually trust Bree. Which was kind of sad, given the whole mutual attempt to kill each other, if she remembered correctly. That or he was just running full speed ahead and embracing an impulsive take charge attitude. Cynthia wondered what outcome Damon really, truly wanted. If he had to choose, would he want Katherine or his brother back. If he even knew which he wanted, given the brother's propensity to gall for and fight over the same girl. Damon had declared he was disinterested in Elena though.

If she was the betting sort, Cynthia would put her money on Stefan even if Damon did want Elena. The two did a lot and meant a lot to each other, even if they disagreed on what constituted as 'helping' almost all of the time. No matter how deeply buried it might be, Damon cared about his little brother.

"So we show this lady the grimoire and ask her to come up with us? Now or at her convenience? Are you two still close enough for her to leave her territory and come do your bidding, D?"

"I do have friends other than you, you know." The sarcasm was so rich in his voice that Cynthia wanted to try and paint it across his cheek. "No need to sound so surprised."

She rolled her eyes, brushing off the impulse at the same time. "Fine, fine. If you insist."

Cynthia didn't want to chatter Damon's ear off from her hyperness and overwhelm him with needless trivia he probably could have continued existing forever without hearing and been none the worse off. But there were hours and hours left and she had consumed so much sugar and soda and how was she possibly meant to stop herself?

"I lived in Georgia for a while," she chattered. "Before, I mean. I actually thought I was in Covington when I first woke up. Cause that's where a part of the show was filmed. They've got the clock tower and the Mystic Grill awning. Except it's over like.. A tax office or something. How weird is that? People who don't watch the show and visit have to be beyond confused."

Damon said nothing. Or nothing that registered. His mouth might have moved, but Cynthia was full sugar go.

"I wonder what Covington looks like here. If it exists. And what about shows that the actors played on? Like Raising Hope or Heroes or.. Or FIREFLY! Is your witch an actress too? Does she have time to juggle three jobs? Witchy necromancy stuff, running a bar, and acting? I mean, Degrassi doesn't really need Nina, I don't think. Never watched it or Raising Hope. But Heroes and Firefly have some pretty important roles I would say."

"Having a reality crisis there, kitten? We can make a day of finding out which tv series exist if you want later. Or better yet, we can make a night of it. After we check out that tomb."

"And kill most of the vampires there," Cynthia asserted, ignoring the squeamishness she felt. It was a mercy killing. And for the best.

But it was also still murder, and that felt wrong. A sense of morality that Cynthia was going to have to grow out of if she wanted to survive being stuck here.

"You're not meant to be grinning to your ears when you go Van Helsing on a bunch of starving, desiccated conscious corpses." Damon might have complained, but it was clear he was pleased. So Cynthia didn't correct him that her pleasure was primarily just surrounded by the dopamine and serotonin and endorphins she was running high on right now, and not to do with the idea of massacring some large number of vampires. Maybe a little bit by the idea of having him willingly watch shows with her though. That could be hilarious. Especially if anyone else got involved that wouldn't mind the two's choice of drinks.

* * *

Damon had finally turned the radio on again, and the rest of the ride was fairly peaceful with only mild conversation. Her phone had started buzzing at crazy at one point. Cynthia was convinced aliens were trying to communicate with her via Morse code. Damon thought his brother didn't understand the concept of a 'personal' day that involved ignoring him. The correct answer was a mystery, because early on she had handed Damon her phone, and the man had obligingly chucked it in the backseat.

Cynthia did have a moment of panic at that point, because she couldn't remember the phone having a case. Up until she remembered that Cynthia Gilbert only had a dumb phone that used T9, something she had not missed.

It was going to be almost seven years before she could play Pokémon Go.

This world was too cruel.

* * *

They pulled up outside Bree's Bar with its deceptively casual entrance that reminded Cynthia of Greenies. Except for the part where it was blue, and not in Santa Monica, or on a pier at all. Okay, so an awning wasn't a lot of evidence to be making comparisons with, but it resonated intangibly to her. Damon swaggered and Cynthia skipped up to the door. The summer sunlight wouldn't have you believe it, but it was late enough in the evening for the bar to have opened, if only just. While Damon went to greet the witch she should _not_ call Zoe, Cynthia bounced around helping take chairs down from tables.

She was actually pretty entertained by the amount of help she was able to give before anyone stopped and questioned her. Not knowing where to put her purloined rag – it wasn't her fault someone just abandoned it on a table! - had apparently signaled her as a stranger.

"Aren't you a little young to be here?" A nice enough lady with a buzz cut, nose stud, and a gorgeous sleeve of ink asked her. "Not that we don't appreciate the help."

"Is anyone too young to assist those that they can for as much as they are able?" Cynthia replied philosophically. The Tinkerbell shirt and dusty pants and shoes probably marred that image a bit, but she was sure the rag resting against her hip brought it altogether beautifully.

Her question earned her a laugh anyway. And in a matter of moments, she felt a cool arm wrapping around her shoulders and easing her back several steps. Cynthia turned, and seeing it was Damon, relaxed into the hold as he moved them back to the bar.

"Sorry about that, I had to retrieve a lost kitten," Damon smiled. "Cynthia, meet Bree."

She obligingly waved excitedly. Meeting people could be nice. "Hey, Bree! Did you ever think of naming your bar the Prancing Pony? And making it an inn?"

By the look on Bree's face, Cynthia knew that yet another person thought she was batshit crazy. It wasn't her fault that she'd been dumped in fictional fairyland. She hadn't had all that much sanity to begin with, her anchor had been her boyfriend. So why not be insane? Magic or madness, right?

"I think I'll just stick with the bar. It works just fine."

Cynthia shrugged and watched as Bree pulled out a bottle and poured a line of shots as she toasted Damon. It wasn't her loss if the other woman didn't appreciate a good Tolkien book.

"You know, "Damon began, with a smarmingly innocent voice she didn't know he was capable of and never wanted to hear again, "Cynthia here is actually the reason he came to see you."

Bree's sharp gaze was on her, prodding Cynthia to speak without needing to say so much as a word.

"And how is that?" The witch asked after tossing back two shots of her own.

The petite brunette perched next to Damon and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I suppose Damon _did_ rescue me. I was basically waist high deep in a grave when he decided we should go on a trip down memory lane. Bonding, I guess."

"One night and he already has you roped in?" Bree questioned, handing the two menus since they didn't seem inclined to leave anytime soon.

"Tight as a chokehold," Cynthia responded cheerfully, sharing a knowing smile with first Bree and then Damon. "Actually, I _have_ been wanting to meet you. Damon clearly respects you."

Bringing the grimoire to her however unannounced, over going to the Bennett witches who lived in the town had Cynthia suspecting he either thought Bree was more powerful or simply liked her better. So she ignored the disbelief and confusion that flickered so quickly in the older woman's eyes.

"I don't suppose you could put me in touch with Lexi, could you?" She pressed. "Pretty blonde, wide face, light eyes I think, big Bon Jovi fan, and Stefan Salvatore's personal wrangler? Oh, and can I have a burger and fries, please? And a cherry coke."

"You don't need any more soda, kitten." Damon countered. Apparently his patience was only so deep. Cynthia sulked.

"I do so need all the soda," she muttered under her breath, folding her arms across her chest defensively.

Bree took Damon's order as well – much the same, except with a beer – giving Cynthia a long calculating look before leaving to put their tickets in.

A few handsful of minutes later, the bartending witch returned. "You came here for Stefan? I would have thought Damon here was still obsessed with Katherine."

Damon half shrugged with a smile, "You caught me. There may be more than one motive. Except Cynthia here has made a pretty good argument that the vampires under that church should be staked. And that we may have more pressing problems."

"Vampires?" Bree's question held a threatening amount of darkness.

So naturally, Cynthia interjected herself. "Apparently Emily had to save all of them, to even save one. It's a long story. But really, could you possibly get Lexi here? Or I could give you my number so you can pass it on, or something? Because I'm pretty sure she has a friend who could help me and my twin as well as the Salvatore brothers a _lot_. And we can help her out in return."

Cynthia leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially. "I have news for Elijah that he will _very_ much want."

* * *

She had gotten up and twirled away after that, trying to learn the bar dances that had started up as the two friends waited for their food. Bree's response had been equivocal, but amounted to 'can you wait here a while'. Damon wasn't in any rush, and Cynthia was sure he still wanted to talk about that little spell cookbook of theirs/his/Emily's.

All in all, it was actually quite a bit of fun. They ate, laughed, and even danced. Damon had tried to dodge her, claiming he would dance with her as her escort to the ball. Cynthia's argument that it would be all fake and for sure and not for enjoyment and won him over in the end. Something she was more than thrilled about. Karaoke she dodged, no matter how Damon tried pleading with her. The petite brunette was determined to only going to embarrass herself one way in public at a time, and tonight's choice was dancing.

Cynthia knew that sooner than later, they would have to go back to Virginia. Even if she convinced Damon to rent a hotel and stay the night to do touristy things tomorrow like the World of Coke or the Botanical Gardens, they couldn't hide forever. And at some point, her guilt about him compelling them free things should kick in. Shouldn't it?

Or at least she should be responsible to her not relatives and sort of friends.

Not just yet though. Right now, they could and would have fun. Cynthia would check to see what had caused her phone to virtually explode when they left the bar. It wasn't as if she could do much from over here anyway. Except leave Damon to try to flirt and charm his way back into Bree's good graces. And hope Bree did decide to put her in touch with Lexi or Rose or someone in the vampiric world who could be trusted. Just because Cynthia wasn't actively trying to plan ahead didn't mean she was going to ignore potential windfalls thrust in her lap, like a witch who is friends with a 300 year old plus vampire who surely _surely_ has _some_ idea of the importance of the Mikaelsons. Or knows someone who does. Lexi would just be awfully convenient given Stefan was her BFF, and Stefan thought Elena hung the moon right now. So protecting Elena's happiness is something he would want. And therefore, Lexi should theoretically want the same.

And hey! Maybe she could get a Bon Jovi concert out of bringing Lexi in a bit. Because _why ever not_?

* * *

 **A/** **N:** This chapter took quite a bit longer than what has become usual for me. I've actually scrapped and rewritten it almost half a dozen times before I got to this version. Here's to hoping you guys don't hate it.

Thank you all so much again for the love! **DarkDust27** your review was brilliant, and I hope you enjoy the way Cynthia responded. **LizzyB, Elysium Phoenix,** **ShieldShadow77** **,** and **I Growl For** **Fun (and all my lovely guest reviewers):** thank you guys so much! I'm glad you like this story so much and enjoy the Damon/Cynthia dynamic. They are a joy to write. And to make up for how little Damon/Cynthia we had last chapter, in this one, they get loads of time together!

I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the previous, not terribly, but it's been my goal to continuously improve my word count. I figured since it was taking so long to roll this one out, it would be okay to go ahead and take a slight knee so I could post this and start work on the next chapter for y'all.

DFTBA guys! Reviews are love. Reviews are life. So are references, ten points to the house of your choice for any you guys catch. Because I have loads of fun sprinkling them throughout the story. =D


	8. Chapter 8

Damon and Cynthia had been waiting for hours, and Cynthia was past bored. Her sugar high had come to a skidding crash landing forty five miserable minutes ago, and now each second was an agony. She had found Damon's uncreative hiding place at the front of the bar, and promptly climbed the nearby stool to sit on the countertop itself. Bree was off tending to patrons, and Damon wasn't the sort to chide. He just gave her a 'what are you doing here?' look, and that was that.

Please. As if he hadn't been the one to drag her across the country. And taken away her sugar. He claimed that was all Bree, but Cynthia had her doubts.

"Any luck converting the star to your cause, hot shot?"

She met his stare confidently until the vampire crumpled with a smile, her antics must have qualified more as entertaining than annoying. Cynthia wasn't sure if she considered that success or not right now, but she could roll with it.

"She's making me work for it," Damon shook his head in mild disappointment. "It seems that she cares for Lexi more than me."

Cynthia kicked his knee lightly with one dangling foot. "Don't look so sour, gorgeous. It doesn't suit your complexion."

Without any warning the girl could perceive, warm hands pulled her first by the offending foot and then by her hips to rest sideways in Damon's lap. "Most people know better than to tell me what to do." He growled into her ear, a softness to it that almost sounded like affection.

Not true, Cynthia thought. Plenty of people tried to tell Damon what to do. It just didn't work well. Lucky for her, she didn't mind sitting in his lap. It gave her better access to his food.

"I'm looking out for you, and you love it." The petite brunette teased, pretending her pulse had not just spiked at his sudden move. "If you look green, people will think you are _wicked_. And then how will you ever win and take home a pretty girl?"

"And here I thought you wanted my fangs all to yourself," Damon smirked, managing to somehow ooze charm with his ridiculously cocky attitude. Of course, then he noticed Cynthia's sly attempt to steal his fries, and added mildly. "I was eating that."

Naturally, the girl responded by chomping down on another fry. "Suck it, 'cause it's mine now," she chirped, leaning against him trustingly. Damon looked like he was bordering on vamping out, but he must have sensed any attempt to scare her would fail. So instead he simply pushed her off his lap to fall gracelessly to the floor.

A vaguely recognizable female voice cut across the room, just as Cynthia was trying to get her feet back underneath her.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. I could have been happy **never** seeing you again."

From her position on the floor, she could just make out Damon swiveling partway in his seat to face the newcomers to the bar – two long sets of well-dressed legs and feet to her eyes just now – and shrug.

"We don't all get what we want. Do we, sweetheart?"

Cynthia stood, immediately stole another fry, and watched the growling man next to Lexi warily as she whispered under her breath to Damon, "How did she know I'm a cat?"

The blue eyed vampire gave her a look, perhaps contemplating telling Cynthia it was just an expression, but he left well enough alone. Because it did diffuse the tension a bit.

The beautiful blonde vampiress that Cynthia had asked after was now staring at her. She suddenly felt terribly self-conscious about the Tinkerbell shirt and general state of disarray she was in. This was why she needed soda. But someone – naming no names, Damon – had to go and ruin all the fun in life.

She was going to be bitter until she got another fix. Or finished his fries.

"You must be Stefan's BFF!" Cynthia bounded over to greet the blonde with enthusiasm. "Lexi, right? Does that make you... Lee?" She asked hesitantly of the still stiff male.

So she didn't remember the episode involving Elena saving Damon's arse very well. So sue her. At the time, Cynthia didn't know that paying attention to her sister's favorite show might affect her _life_. The man only appeared like once.

Maybe she should have said 'Mr. Branson.'

But she wasn't a hundred percent on Lexi's last name either. Much less what Lexi was short for. _Probably_ Alexandria or something of the like, but precision really meant a lot when winning people over.

Much to the brunette girl's relief, the male nodded in confirmation, and she clapped happily.

"It's so nice to meet you! Lexi, Stefan's been missing you _horribly_. He hasn't said anything, but the brooding lines on his face have gotten deeper. You could excavate for fossils. Except when he's being all lovey-dovey with my twin, but that's something I try not to be around too much. It's too sweet, like an ice cream headache or... or, I dunno. The US version of CapriSun?"

Cynthia kept a bright smile up as she babbled to the elder vampiress, grasping at one of her wrists gently and tugging to bring her and her love, husband, mate, whatever to the bar with Damon.

"I'd ask how you know Stefan, but considering your company, I guess that's obvious," Lexi said dryly, but there was a hint of a smile there that was wonderfully encouraging. "The Salvatores are sharing twins, huh? Man, did you lose out."

The human girl hopped into Damon's lap and made herself comfortable before he could say anything that might ruin the moment.

"Damon and I are just BFFs," she informed Lexi. "We don't make googly eyes and make out like Elena and Stef do. But I didn't ask Bree to get you here for Damon and me really," maybe her a _little_ bit, or a lot. "We learned some things, and I want to look out for mine."

"Bree didn't exactly say why it was so important that we come," Lee spoke this time, his voice gruff but not hostile.

Said witch snagged Lexi in a hug, ignoring much as Cynthia did, all of the 'I wish I could kill you' vibes between Lexi and Damon. "That's because I want to hear what story they spin for you. The girl said she wanted to speak to Elijah."

"A specific one," the human girl interjected. "I didn't just wake up this morning with a craving."

Very suddenly, the only sound Cynthia could hear was her own munching and her heartbeat within their immediate circle. Two blank stares met hers in the wake of this pronouncement, and the previously delicious fries turned to ashes in Cynthia's mouth. Lexi was one of the oldest vampires the Salvatores knew, certainly that they kept up with. Not counting Sage, of course, but she was both much harder to track down and less likely to ally with her besides.

Lexi stared at Cynthia a little longer, then looked to Bree.

"I think I'm going to need alcohol. A lot."

"Sure, honey," Bree swung herself over the counter, knocking over the rest of Damon's food with a false apology. He looked every inch an angry kitten, but it had relaxed both Lexi and Lee some.

Cynthia was not in the mood to stop or be kind and hold people's hands gently, particularly not while they were being so rude to her only real ally/friend. She'd stood just as Damon did, clenching one of his hands tightly from her own impotent anger.

"When you say Elijah," Lee broke the silence, looking between the couple and his mate.

The petite brunette tossed her head – really attempted to toss her hair, but that never worked as dramatically as she wanted – took a deep breath, and replied. "So tall," she used her free hand to gesture quite a bit above her, "killer hair, slight accent maybe English maybe Kiwi, sharp enough to cut your tongue on in a suit, and incredibly noble and old fashioned. Ring any bells? He's been chasing at least three vampires for the past... oh... five hundred years. I had hoped the odds were you would know _something_ or someone who could benefit."

In point of fact, Cynthia was near sure of it, because all the people who could have prevented chaos and destruction died early. The Gilbert parents. Sheila Bennett. Lexi fit the profile. The girl pointedly ignored Damon's mutterings about 'what kind of person licks a suit.'

"Seriously? What do you want with him?" Lexi ordered as she leaned against the bar, not quite willing to sit down next to Damon, but intrigued enough by the insane little human. One with a death wish.

It wouldn't occur to Lexi until later to wonder how the small girl knew what Elijah looked and sounded like, when the Salvatores didn't.

Said human was getting real tired, real fast of being questioned in scenarios where lying gave no net benefit. It wasn't as if she were suicidal, no matter what they thought. That would take far and away less effort than provoking an Original.

"To help me find my lost cat," Cynthia snapped sarcastically, "I want to make a deal of course. And more relevantly, I have a gift for him." By the end, she had recovered to an almost pleasant tone, reminding herself that she liked Lexi and did not want to drive her away.

The blonde vampire and her mate were staring at her intently still. Damon looked bored. What splendid back up that man made.

"What we're all wondering, sugar, is why you think contacting him is going to end well for anyone involved." Bree spoke easily, cutting down Cynthia's tension even further just from how non-confrontational she was.

The girl grinned to her audience, spreading her hands out like a magician who was about to reveal a great trick.

"Because family is always and forever." Not that she expected her current audience would appreciate the statement. It didn't hold as much history to them. "He'll understand."

She hoped. She really, really hoped. It wasn't like Cynthia was having to make this all up as she went along.

"Speaking of family reunions," and ignoring the looks that comment garnered. "And moving right along!" Cynthia bounced off of Damon's lap. "You three should totally come visit us this weekend. There's going to be a ball, and you can meet the lovebirds. Oh... Damon, may I pretty please have my phone? I should show y'all – Lexi especially – Stef and Elena."

Damon was not swayed by her puppy dog eyes. "I already told you, I'm not a delivery boy."

"If you're thirsty, all you have to do is say so," Cynthia retorted sweetly. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach and all that.

The baby blue eyed vampire shook his head in good natured amusement before downing the rest of his current drink and pushing the brunette girl further out of the way so he could stand as well.

"I'm just going to start keeping track of favors for you at this point," Damon called out. "Back in a minute, don't have too much fun without me, kids."

.

* * *

.

Despite the fact Cynthia was the crazy one wanting to reach out to and interact with an Original, near immortal vampire, Damon's departure made the two visiting vampires much more comfortable. Bree was still stiff, but Lee relaxed enough to order a drink and claim a chair at the nearest table to the bar.

"So how'd you get stuck with him?"

Cynthia finally realized she had been keeping her arms out, spinning a little when she'd bartered with Damon, but not fully retracting. Her muscles were starting to ache and informed her how not cool this situation was. So she tucked her arms behind her back, clasping her hands to keep her arms nice and still for a bit.

"We're friends. He's fun, and he keeps me distracted from all the mess I seem to have found myself in," Cynthia replied with complete honesty. "Kind of like how my twin feels with Stefan, I guess. Which would make things weird if Damon and I were dating probably. That's weird, isn't it? Twins dating brothers? Or is it not?"

She wasn't exactly versed on twins! It was not a thing that Cynthia normally had to deal with when there was such a large age gap between siblings in her family.

"I wouldn't say so," Lexi said easily, taking the neighboring seat now that her Salvatore semi nemesis was temporarily gone. "I'd say it would be a stupid decision, but if you fall in love you should hold onto it regardless. What's your sister like?"

"Elena?" No, Cynthia. Lexi wants to know about your actual sister. OF COURSE SHE MEANS ELENA. "She's very compassionate, the sort of person who draws people to her. Doesn't always see the forest for the trees, but she means well. She really likes Stefan, just not his secretiveness. Which is kind of amusing, considering she wants to date a guy she basically met in a graveyard, whereas Damon and I met under a comet. You'd think that the wanna be lovers would be the ones getting all star crossed. I guess romance is undead."

Cynthia bit her lip to forcibly stop herself from babbling, hard enough to leave a temporary imprint although not to bleed. How hard did one have to bite oneself to bleed anyway? It seemed to happen often enough in stories, but Cynthia wasn't sure she wanted to try it.

Lee tried to be supportive considering how interested Lexi was in everything Stefan, bless his heart. "She sounds like a nice person."

"Not a raging bitch like his ex, anyway," Lexi agreed with a knowing smile.

She had to fight not to laugh at that. It was a close thing.

Damon returned with all of the force and attention grabbing of a hurricane. Cynthia wanted to get him a trench coat so he could swirl properly when he walked, but suspected the leather loving fiend wouldn't agree. He strode right into the middle of their discussion with a grave expression that made Cynthia's stomach and intestines twist.

"I have bad news."

Her nerves had anxiety plummeting straight through her feet now. What could possibly have happened? The Gilberts didn't have some sort of tracker or GPS installed on her phone, did they?

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Of course there would be something. Cynthia Gilbert must not have the same reputation of trust that Elena Gilbert did. The only question was who had followed them. No, there were more questions. What did they know? How far away were they? Why were they being tailed?

Cynthia tilted her head to meet Damon's gaze, waiting without words for him to explain.

"We both lost the bet," Damon continued, making Cynthia promptly wish she were tall enough to punch his pretty face more easily. Not that he'd let her, or that it would necessarily be wise to take a swing at the man. But boy, was it ever tempting, the more so the longer he spoke. "So neither of us will be wearing maid outfits tonight."

Making a grabbing motion to her phone, the petite brunette retorted, "How do you know?"

"Because no self-respecting alien would impersonate Caroline Forbes."

"Maybe they're just masking the signal," Cynthia had started to retort when Bree cleared her throat behind them. Damon and Cynthia both turned to look at their audience.

Bree did not look amused. Lexi was frowning. As for Lee, Cynthia wasn't certain what that expression was.

"If you two girls are quite through," Bree deadpanned, causing Damon to make a choked sound. Or was that her? Cynthia wasn't sure. Regardless, she took the interruption and censure for what it was.

"Right, sorry," The petite brunette shuffled a half step away from Damon, her phone now firmly in her grip. She'd have to read Caroline's essay later.

Cynthia tried not to dwell on the possibility of the text stream having been a cry for help that she'd selfishly ignored. It was a school day, and the current year's Big Bad had just reverted to playing a frighteningly polite gentleman in front of her. A furtive glance around the group had her suspecting Lexi was as discomfited by this as she was.

Or maybe it was just the general flash bang in a keg of gunpowder feel engendered by so many of Damon's past acquaintances?

Instead, she flicked through to her photos and pulled up one of Stefan and Elena.

"Meet my younger 'until I see a birth certificate that proves otherwise' twin."

Cynthia turned the phone so the guest vampires could see the - poor megapixel quality - photo. She didn't have vamp hearing, but that didn't stop the girl from knowing that the blonde had just said Katherine's name like a stunned curse.

"Creepy, isn't it?" Damon chuckled. "But no, Elena, while looking absolutely delectable -"

"Isn't in the least aware that humans are not the top of the food chain." Cynthia interjected quickly, her cheeks puffing slightly. She wasn't feeling miffed or rejected, the girl told herself. Shut up. "Unless one counts viruses."

"Such flattery."

"Stef… how do you get into such trouble?" The blonde vampiress was asking, to no one in particular. Lexi had lifted Cynthia's phone, scanning through the photos saved therein.

Hoping to win this bid, the only theoretically completely human person in their group looked appealingly to Lexi. If she could convince the blonde, Lee would surely agree. And Damon was being his normal flirtatious self with Bree who had no reason to be homicidal so….

Please, let this work.

"Exactly. He needs you, Lex. Come interrogate my twin if you want -"

There was a disbelieving sound that might have been an indignant 'that's not my style at all!'

"- plus, did I mention the party? Full of stuffy people, I know, but also alcohol. And Stefan? And, if you could be parted from your bar for a night," Cynthia fluttered her eyelashes at Bree. She didn't think it worked as well as Damon's smarmy smiles, much less a sincere one. "There's a good number of and insane vampires that need slayage before they try to cause mayhem. And endanger everything."

Oops. Was that insensitive?

Now was an excellent time to excuse herself the heck out of here and away from the more and more curious looks Bree was throwing Damon.

If she stole herself some soda, then at least they should be glad it wasn't something expensive like _alcohol_.

.

* * *

.

When Caroline Forbes set her mind to a task, she got things done. That girl had more executive function than Cynthia thought she'd have her entire life. It was honestly more incredible for Cynthia to wrap her mind around Care being real than vampires.

She had to be Pepper reincarnated. Or the spiritual daughter of either Iris and Barry or Linda and Wally. Given that Linda's actress played a fifteen year old here? Wasn't it? Hopefully Iris and Barry. Or maybe she was evolving to become Kara Danvers.

Cynthia swatted at the gnat cloud hovering around her, swinging her dangling legs to hopefully drive more away. Not that the girl really thought it would help. It was a hot summer night; the colors of sunset fading slowly away. She'd moved away from the doors to not block the exit. It made her feel a little less awkward too.

But perhaps even more fatalistic.

What if she never found an answer to what had happened to her? What if there was no way home for her? Except in cruel snippets post near death experiences. *If* that hadn't just been DMT showing her what she most wanted to see.

At least, Cynthia thought to herself, Caroline finally took her bait to research the animal attack problem. Even if she'd chosen to do so the one day Cynthia wasn't up there to enjoy watching her facial reactions herself. It was better to focus on the positive.

It wasn't like she was that upset the cheerleader extraordinaire had set to work without her. It was hard to be when there were so many texts asking where she was, why she had ditched school, and that wasn't accounting for the missed calls.

Cynthia could have sworn she'd given some sort of excuse out. But maybe not.

Caroline had tried pinning the locations of all the attacks first. But they zigzagged through so much relatively dense populated areas it made no sense.

 _Wouldn't a rabid animal be easier to spot? Not harder?_ Caroline had texted four hours ago.

 _Maybe not rabid but the little I saw in the morgue before Guillermo kicked me out says they weren't made actual meals._

 _If only sick animals attack humans for food. And if what's attacking these people isn't using them for food, then why would an animal be attacking?_

 _Territorial?_

 _But then wouldn't be larger groups be driven away too?_

 _For someone who said she help make a PowerPoint, you're awful quiet._

 _Did you know this isn't the first time we've had animal attacks like this here?_

 _This is ridiculously weird. Like beyond weird. It has to be a coincidence, right?_

Her other messages weren't nearly as entertaining. Elena was being a hypocritical bore about her skipping school today. Jeremy had apparently gotten a non-answer from Vicki. Which probably meant he was going to be getting drunk and moping again.

Good luck with that one, Jenna.

"Mind if I join you?"

Jolting, one of Cynthia's hands flew to her chest with a terribly undignified squeak. She jerked her chin up rapidly, trying to discern the owner of the voice.

"Don't do that!" She chided Lee breathlessly. Several breaths later, Cynthia managed to nod and gesture the space next to her. "Sure. It's a free country. Right?"

"So they say."

Cynthia didn't hear or see Lee sit down; he just gracefully blurred into being next to her.

"It's not my business why you want to get tangled up with Originals," he spoke, seeming to address the night air more than Cynthia herself. "But if I were you, I'd be sure there were no other options before going down that road. Not many survive their attention… alive. How many casualties are you prepared to face?"

It depended on how many of those casualties were abstract fiction to her. She didn't want to be party to murder. ('It's wrong!' Her inner voice chanted. 'We don't imagine sacrificing people! Or killing them ourself!') But controlling the Mikaelsons was so far out of her abilities. They struggled to control _themselves_. Some strange human had no business trying to issue demands of them.

"Making deals with the fae is always dangerous business," Cynthia acknowledged. Her breathing had calmed by now, more even and in tune with her now somber mood. "Dire circumstances call for dire measures. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Are those circumstances yours? Or the Salvatores?"

Cynthia thought of all the possible upcoming deaths of authority figures. All the torture and betrayal. Causing more and more problems with each attempt to fix them.

 _You aren't meant to be here_

Always seeing the wrong face in the mirror. Whenever she imagined Cynthia Gilbert the First, Cynthia pictured her wearing **her** engagement ring and **her** real face. Fooling her partner, her friends, wearing her body like a coat with evil eyes only Cynthia could see.

"Bit of both."

The girl scanned the parking lot for fireflies and finally tugged a few sips from her possibly purloined soda. Lee didn't push her though. They sat in silence for a while. Long enough for anxiety to swirl up Cynthia's esophagus and be pushed back down through careful breathing.

"It's normal, you know. Find yourself in a brave new world, where none of the rules are the same. So you latch onto someone." Lee's voice was soothing. There wasn't any censure in it; he might as well have been talking about the sticky weather or tragic lack of fireflies. "Just be careful you don't lose yourself."

Too late.

The girl finally looked over at her sort of companion, fingers tightening around her drink again as she asked sardonically, "And inviting monsters into town counts, does it?"

"As you say. Playing with fae, demons, djinn... Vampires. It's tricky business."

Cynthia studied the stranger's face. She wasn't sure why he was reaching out to her. Perhaps, like in the show, he assumed Damon's companion must be in love with him. Perhaps he just identified with a human tagging along with a vampire since he had been in those shoes once. Regardless, his expressed care was heartwarming.

"Dark things are coming. Things that will affect everyone in this world. I'm not too good for any ally I can trust."

There was another blur to Cynthia's other side, and she turned to see Lexi holding a basket of fries and somehow balancing a line of shots on one arm. Show off vampire. It still had her grinning in surprise and amusement.

"Well, I don't know about all of that. But we could possibly be convinced to go to your little ball. It'd have to be in the evening, obviously, but I'd like Lee to meet my kid brother."

Cynthia stole some of the fries, her expression brightening.

"What if I told you that you could arrive in the morning with us?"

The couple exchanged glances over Cynthia's head, then Lexi answered. "We're listening."

.

* * *

.

The night was young and full of terrors. The explaining that the 'nifty little daylight ring' spell was known to Emily Bennett was… actually not something Cynthia had chosen to do. She attempted to wriggle her nose and magic her way out of it. Which was ridiculous. She was human with no wish granting capabilities. But in the end, it didn't seem that big of a deal. It wasn't like Bree wasn't already being loaned the grimoire before they returned it to the Bennett family.

(Cynthia assumed they were. If they were lucky, they might be able to not traumatize Bonnie and keep her Grams alive. The more living responsible adults around, the better in Cynthia's eyes.)

"So how many tourist traps do you think we could check out before those two resurface?" She asked them idly. Knowing Damon was a womanizer was one thing. Having to wait around for him to stop either arguing, flirting, or making out with someone was not her idea of a good time. "We could go swimming with sharks! And pet their smooth, smooth skin." The brunette smiled winningly at the now doubtful looking couple.

"Lee, didn't we sand one of our tables with a shark skin?"

"The one Enrique supposedly out wrestled?"

"That's the one."

So many memes that didn't and may never exist yet. Tiny ones that Cynthia hadn't realized she might ever miss.

"Belugas or dolphins then?" They didn't look particularly convinced. She sighed. "It's a shame the World of Coke is closed. We need to be sure to be at the party earlier than later."

A hand squeezed the dejected looking teenager, giving Cynthia a hint of hope.

"Oh ye of little faith."

It took a teensy bit of coaxing, an itsy reminder that she had uncovered the spell that could free them from the sun's deadliness. And then, then Cynthia was flying between Lexi and Lee, both of them holding one of your hands. Rollercoasters were never going to be as exciting again.

The highlight was the aquarium. Even beyond the adrenaline of sneaking into places they shouldn't. Trying and tasting different things in the most light-hearted adventure that Cynthia had found herself stranded in a fictional dream world. It would have been perfect if she'd had her boyfriend with her, but even without, it was an exciting bit of derring-do.

Unlike in her favorite book series, the dolphins weren't telepathic. At least, not that she could perceive. But Lexi did let her actually swim in one of the aquariums. They'd then gone downtown - hair still utterly drenched - in hand-wavingly paid for merchandise and searching for the hidden bars in downtown. Finding secrets was way more fun than Cynthia would have given it credit for, and she was glad that they'd convinced her to give it a go. They never stayed long, but her purse was now full with an array of coasters (signed by confused but willing bartenders).

.

* * *

.

Damon found them just as they were typing in a code at a phone booth. One moment, Cynthia was laughing against Lee while Lexi picked plant life from her wet hair, and the next she was trying to catch her breath as she was slammed against the alley wall opposite. Brick was not comfortable to get up close and personal with in such an unexpected manner, and Cynthia was certain she'd have bruises from it. The girl opened her mouth to scold the force of nature – or force against nature, given Damon was every inch a vampire – and promptly forgot whatever it was she'd planned to say.

"And what are you doing with Saint Stefan's conscience?"

The question was a dark purr Cynthia could feel to her bones. Lexi answered before she could form words again herself. "You have a problem with pipsqueak having fun?"

"Alone? With you? Yes."

"I do so hate when we agree, because that's precisely how I feel about leaving her in your care."

Cynthia struggled against Damon's hands now, trying to get Lexi's attention. "Hey, that's no fair. Damon's my BFF!" She could feel his mood lighten just a tinge, but whatever had spat in his cornflakes was still bothering him. They stared at each other for a few moments until Lee made a comment about seeing bruises form under his hand, and Damon summarily released his grip. Cynthia fell to the ground with a soft oof. It wasn't often that Damon Salvatore served as a buzzkill, but tonight he fit the bill. The petite brunette rested her forehead against his knees, ignoring the impatient scoffing. He wanted to be a jerk just because Bree couldn't or wouldn't do whatever spell he wanted, that shouldn't be on her!

Plus, she could do without seeing them argue below her hearing range.

She did get to her feet, clinging to one of Damon's arms now and ignoring whatever posturing the vampires were giving each other.

"You have my phone number now, Lex. You should let me know when you come to town. We'll find someone to invite you to the party. Or some way to convince Mrs. Lockwood anyway. I bet she'd go for a nice sappy story. Hopefully."

"Probably should have thought of that before inviting them to town."

That smug voice could only be Damon. Cynthia pushed him lightly. "Shh, your logic has no place here. If we can get them invited in the morning, the Lockwoods won't think a thing of them. Allies are GOOD to have, Damon. No matter what we find in the tomb."

L squared – er, Lexi and Lee – were giving the human and vampire duo very strange looks that Cynthia did her very best to ignore.

Damon cleared his throat and addressed the others in a volume she could hear (for once!), "I'd suggest stocking up on the bagged stuff before you drop by. The townsfolk are a little titchy."

Lee rolled his eyes as Lexi crossed her arms in a very unimpressed fashion.

"Yeah, I would bet. Probably because of you. Running around and slaughtering people for kicks. You're all the worst parts about being a vampire."

Shouting over whatever Damon might have tried to say, Cynthia was determined to be heard instead, and hopefully prevent another fang measuring contest. "Not just kicks! And not just him! Now, Damon, can we pleaaaaase go home?"

Riding passenger with a pissed off Salvatore in the driver's seat was not a comfortable place to be. The ride down had been fairly jovial, but Damon was still irritated. Cynthia knew that Damon could run hot and cold, particularly early on, but this was getting really old. She wasn't sure if he was frustrated or just emotional (was that possible? Weren't his emotions turned off?)

It was like dealing with an erratic, slightly less suicidal Zachariah Gray. Which... was actually a worrying thought. She didn't remember as much about the Austin family, but Zach's storyline was not what she wanted for her serial killer BFF.

Adrenaline tore through her system, washing away her vague reminiscences. Cautiously, Cynthia reached out a hand to brush along the smooth skin above the vampire's jaw bone. There was no sign of angry, inflamed veins, but that didn't mean much of anything from someone who could stake his brother looking cool as a cucumber. They'd been sitting silently in the car for several minutes now, and it seemed Cynthia would have to be the one to break the strange silence.

"Did you not appreciate the private time?" It was hard to force the words out. If anyone should be upset, Cynthia rather thought she had the right. She'd been consistently faithful and just as consistently distrusted. The girl might not regret her decisions regarding the dark haired Salvatore, but that didn't make the events she'd lived through in this fictional realm any less frustrating. "I know how much you like being the immortal stud."

Damon made a disgruntled sound and Cynthia withdrew her hand slowly. Yes, she had run off with Lexi and Lee, but it had only been to give him time alone with Bree. She distinctively did not want to know whether or not Damon had rekindled his tryst with the witch. She wasn't sure if Bree was interested after all this time, but it wasn't as if she had any particularly reason to want to kill him now. And Damon, he enjoyed women, in the biblical sense as well as an eye candy or nomnom sort of deal.

She withdrew the hand slowly at Damon's disgruntled sound.

"I am capable of restraint," he told her, teeth gritting together with what Cynthia thought might be annoyance. "Particularly when I have a master plan to accomplish."

Cynthia clasped a hand to her chest in faux surprise at his claim. "Damon Salvatore possessing restraint? And choosing to exercise it?" She didn't see the head slap coming, but the girl wasn't surprised by it either.

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* * *

.

Preparing for the Lockwood's ball was more involved than Cynthia had bargained for. She hadn't been to a school function in almost a decade, and while she had gotten dressed nicely every now and then it had been rushed in the bathroom at work or in the car as her sweetheart drove. She wasn't accustomed to having a twin and 'childhood friends' making bubbly comments or trading gossip.

The smallest of the group had been sure to apologize to Caroline for not calling her back immediately. She was doing a lot of apologizing lately, but at least this time it was for something she had been responsible for.

"Your text – that came five hours late, by the way – was pretty cryptic. Where were you, anyway? I couldn't find you at school."

Bonnie and Elena's chatter quietened when Caroline asked that; they even paused their makeup application. Mascara in Elena's hand and lip gloss in Bonnie's. Given the circumstances, Cynthia grins broadly at the three. She might frequently find the 'moral superiority' shtick to be annoying, but in this instance, Cynthia is thrilled. She's changed something, far more significant than how and why Coach Tanner left. Papa Salvatore was exhumed and the grimoire was retrieved. Bree is still on Damon's side, ish. Lexi and Lee both know about Elena being Stefan's girlfriend, and she might, might even convince them to contact Elijah for a far more deadly game.

"Well," she starts slyly. "Damon and I were working on a project together."

"A project," Bonnie said slowly. "With sexy danger guy."

Looks were being exchanged, and Cynthia cheerfully ignored them. "Yep," she nodded. "He and his brother have been fighting for so long. Too long." Her focus was still mostly on Caroline, aka the one who'd actually asked the initial question. The cheer captain was also helping her with her makeup (this was not her face! Originally, anyway, and she didn't want to look hideous.) As such, it was Caroline who saw the smirk on Cynthia's face at Elena's groan.

Her not twin capped her mascara and leaned against the sink while staring down at Cynthia. She pretended to be unfazed by the pleading disgruntlement. "Tell me you didn't get involved." The girl wasn't shamed like Elena might have wanted. This was one of those times that Cynthia simply disagreed with Elena's stance. She'd sided with Damon, and that meant going all in. Besides, it wasn't like she was pretending to be trustworthy just to stab him in the back like she vividly remembered Stefan and Elena doing.

There was a reason she'd decided to grab the Bennett grimoire early. Betrayal was not something that Cynthia took lightly.

"We may have come up with an appropriate gesture? Damon's really concerned for him after what happened."

"With their ex?" For all her protestations, Elena was clearly curious. Not that Cynthia blamed her. Stefan was probably being obnoxiously tight lipped right now.

"Yeah, they both just kept lying to each other about her. She treated having both of them worship at her altar like it was a game. I know Damon's not completely over her, but he doesn't know about Stefan. He doesn't think that Stefan _actually _ loved her, but that certainly doesn't seem to stop him from acting like Katherine chose him over Damon. Just because it wasn't real for him." She huffed angrily. "But in the interests of peace and brotherly loyalty, he wanted to give Stefan a peace flag. So maybe he'll stop turning into a glaring statue whenever they're around each other."

"That is putting it mildly," Bonnie agreed, finishing up her own makeup quickly. Elena shook her head in disagreement. "That sounds like just Damon's side of things. And it's in the past so it's not really my business."

Caroline had finished selecting the products she thought Cynthia should wear to match her complexion and dress of choice, and had turned to finish her own look when she heard that comment.

"Please, Elena. If Stefan is the sort to date a woman his brother is in love with, when he isn't himself..."

"He sounds like a womanizer," Bonnie concluded. "Possibly a manipulative liar too. And that's something you absolutely deserve to know."

They shoot; they score. Cynthia did so adore Caroline Forbes and Bonnie Bennett. She didn't think future Elena deserved their loyalty and friendship, but love was a choice. Their choice, not hers.

"I still want to know Stefan's side of things," Elena was resolute. Cynthia couldn't understand why. "If he is a manipulator, you realize his story will only paint him in the best of lights. As far as I see things, I know Damon's side and we aren't even dating. Yet you and Stefan are... orbiting each other... but he leaves you in the dark. I don't like it. You should have all the relevant facts."

Speaking of, she would need to talk to the Gilberts – er, her family – about vampires. Once she'd figured out a way to prove it to them. Damon might agree, but not until he knew Katherine was the backstabbing bitch Cynthia claimed her to be. Lexi and Lee barely knew her, and getting Elijah's attention was enough of a favor. Sheila was considered a drunk by even her to mention she had told Stefan that the Salvatore's wouldn't be outed.

Hopefully, Caroline would put it all together soon. Jeremy had, right? Mostly? Surely Caroline could discover enough to confront her mom with. Cynthia wasn't above sacrificing an unknown to get Caroline to believe her (and the Sheriff on their side). She just didn't want to let Damon use Lexi again.

And now, he couldn't, she thought with a happy grin. Lexi and Lee had both been invited in during daylight hours as Stefan's friends. If he went after 'Stefan's conscience' as he'd called the woman, then he'd be shooting himself in the foot with wooden buckshot.

Anyway, she could worry about that after the Founder's party. If she tried broaching the subject now, Cynthia might find herself having to listen to her 'friends' well-meaning gossip about how she'd gone round the bend.

"Why aren't you dating him? Have you seen him? He's gorgeous." Caroline wiggled her eyebrows, breaking Cynthia's serious mood.

It was to be a different sort of gossip, apparently.

"I've seen him, Care-bear," she giggled. "But he's in love with someone else." And so was she. "He needs a friend more than he needs someone to claim to love him again. Besides, he's older than me."

Bonnie shook her head good-naturedly, "Not by that much."

"And you're spending almost all your time with him," Elena pointed out. "She was gone all day yesterday practically, then she was off with him at the crack of dawn this morning."

Cynthia determinedly tugged detangler through her curly hair. "We were finishing up our present for Stefan."

That wasn't even a lie. Early in the morning, Damon had picked her up to visit the Lockwood s with their hastily planned sob story. Cynthia had to introduce the three vampires, and also explain how Damon had discovered that Giuseppe's grave had been utterly vandalized recently. Something that they both knew Stefan would take hard; the boy might be young but he was such a history buff. Something anyone who had heard him go toe to toe with Coach Tanner could attest. It was hard work keeping him in the dark about the truth of the town's animal attacks.

Admittedly, that had been said in confidence to Mrs. Lockwood while Cynthia directed Lexi and Lee to help set up for the upcoming party. 'It was the least they could do,' she had insisted. Never mind there was a large enough staff to take care of things, with the temper all the Lockwoods possessed, she was intent on helping. And seeming innocent and helpful. Cynthia didn't know what the original version of her in this plane was like, but Mrs. Lockwood had seemed surprised and pleased to see her.

She had to admit that it brought her a good deal of amusement how many people would end up aware that Stefan's best friend was in town with her new husband. Carol Lockwood did not strike Cynthia as the type to keep quiet about such things.

The four had escaped party preparations when Cynthia had been asked to fetch the Gilbert heirlooms for the heritage display, sparing Tyler the job. He didn't particularly acknowledge any of them; Cynthia would be quite happy for things to stay that way with him. Her last impression of the potential future hybrid was of him having started out as a bully, potential rapist, womanizing asshole who grew into a jealous, cheating dick. While things could change, Cynthia only had so much forgiveness in her. Right now, her stock was being directed elsewhere.

"Methinks the lady doth protest too much." Caroline's voice snapped Cynthia out of her musings and into a shocked pout.

She couldn't believe Caroline was betraying her like this. After all the fun she'd had saving the girl and everything! Cynthia grimaced at the trio before flouncing out of the shared bathroom. She did not need this sort of negativity in her life.

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* * *

.

The Salvatore brothers showed up at the same time, looking criminally dashing. Elena was clearly a fan of Stefan in a suit. Cynthia, however, did not take the time to give either of the pair elevator eyes. She happily ran out the door and straight into Damon's arms. He caught and dipped her instead of allowing the hug, murmuring a soft compliment of how well the navy dress looked on her into her neck.

"You look positively delicious," he had added as he returned her to her feet. Damon's eyes were on a very stiff Stefan for several long moments. Then his blue eyes turned towards her mockingly, although he gave both Cynthia and Elena a perfectly charming smile. Cynthia didn't quite manage one back.

 _Get the crystal. Open the tomb. Find a way to convince Elijah. Hope he knows how to cross dimensions back home._

It was a strange, conflicting set of priorities that she found herself in. Cynthia was related to Elena, a girl she hadn't thought much of (at best), but it felt wrong to just betray her to her death because of it. Even if she did know that Niklaus would need her alive after the ritual to be happy. It was going to be a very fun conversation, whenever she did convince the surviving Gilberts vampires were real.

'Hi, my BFF uses me as a snack bar, but I don't particularly care. Also, Elena, you're what's called a doppelganger, and you have to be sacrificed. But don't worry, you'll come back to life, somehow. Maybe as a vampire, but suck it up. You're the one who fell in LOVE with a vampire.'

That would go over **so well**. Particularly given the fact Cynthia was reasonably hopeful even Elena wouldn't call her feelings for Stefan 'love' yet.

Damon's arm pressed against the small of her back, directing her down the driveway and somewhat out of her musings.

"See you at the party, brother. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He sounded all stern and responsible in Jenna's hearing, but Cynthia could almost hear the 'don't brood or worry about keeping your bunny diet. Enjoy your undeath a little!' in the subtext.

'Eternity of misery' sounded just about right.

Damon did at least chat normally with her on the short ride to the Lockwood mansion. Stefan had been naughty, as it turned out, and had tried to spike Damon's alcohol with vervain. (Which was just as well; it wasn't like he hadn't been working on building his tolerance.) The sip he took had made him gag, Damon told her. But he had played it off as if he was impressed Stefan had found a strong liquor, and praised him for whatever he'd added.

"You should have seen his face, kitten," Damon reminisced as they arrived. "Somewhat shocked I drank it. Even more that I was thanking him for what he and I both know is a poison." His teeth flashed, looking over to the girl in his passenger seat. "I promised to give him a gift in return today."

Already having been invited in, they mutually agreed to dodge the receiving line. Instead, they'd brought Carol a drink after Damon had swept Cynthia off her feet – literally – for the entirety of a dance. Her surprised but pleased expression was almost as good as seeing Stefan's face further down the line. (Damon still hadn't actually let Cynthia down. She was standing on his feet instead of the floor.)

He'd led her away again, this time to greet Bree. Cynthia did stand on her own this time, as Damon made use of both of his hands to grasp one of Bree's, which was amusing. She knew that Damon had gone with her as a friend, but watching him kiss Bree's hand made her feel like she should probably be jealous? Her partner in crime might leave her for... well, no. Romance wasn't Damon's thing right now. Never mind.

"Would you like a dance?" Cynthia asked the witch, but Bree shook her head. "With our mutual Walk Away Joe? I think he has his eyes on a different prize."

Damon kissed the witch's cheek, eyes sparkling with amusement as he grabbed one of Cynthia's hands. "She knows me so well," he cooed even as he started dragging the teenager away. "C'mon, killer. Time to play guard dog."

The crystal talisman was easy, if tedious, to collect. Cynthia spent the time teasing Damon about how he couldn't keep her species straight. First she's a cat; now she was a dog.

She's impressed more than she should be he doesn't immediately quip back that at least she isn't dead. (Knowing the vampire, he isn't even listening.)

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* * *

.

Because the universe - this version anyway - hates her, she and Damon make it back to their slowly touring siblings in time for the 'Original Salvatores speech'.

"Is that... Damon Salvatore? And... Stefan Salvatore?"

Elena, Elena. You do get worked up over the strangest things.

"I can't believe the sheriff was William Forbes back then. And now the sheriff is formerly a Mrs. William Forbes. The times, they are a-changing." Cynthia bounced in between Elena and Stefan, ignoring whatever expression was on Stefan's face regarding her. "Not to mention that a Lockwood was a mayor then. I mean," the girl dropped her voice to a harsh whisper, "I know Mystic Falls likes to keep things within the 'Founding Families', but for elected positions, you'd expect a bit more variety!"

"The original Salvatore brothers. Tragic story, actually," Damon smirked down at the girl on his arm. "So glad to know you find our ancestors creepy, kitten. I'm feeling a little attacked. What about you, Stef?"

Cynthia rolled her eyes, muttering, "You love it," under her breath before sharing a long suffering look with Elena as the brothers once again stared at each other. And stared. Like angry, petulant statues. Again.

"I'd love to hear more about your family," Elena tried to get Stefan's attention, the sweet optimist she was right now. "You're named after them? Is that Salvatore tradition? Or is it just coincidence?"

"You can say that," Damon cut in smoothly, interrupting Stefan's attempts to claim the conversation was boring. (And helpfully distracting Elena from Cynthia glaring at the younger Salvatore. What was so hard about 'tell the girl you are dating the truth'? She'd told Damon she was from a different dimension! They weren't even an item!) The dark haired vampire squeezed her elbow lightly, and Cynthia sighed, "Maudlin, isn't it? This town is so obsessed with its history, it keeps bringing it back up to repeat over, and over."

Stefan's eyebrows were doing a great job of imitating worried, fuzzy caterpillars right now. Elena looked between all three of them and shook her head slightly. Damon hadn't actually answered her question, but given the staring contest still going on, it didn't seem like she'd get her answers anytime soon. "Are you sure you're okay, Cynthia?" Stefan was going to give himself worry lines. Quite the feat, Cynthia thought.

"Actually, can I borrow you for a moment?" She glanced towards her not twin for permission as well. "I'll fill you in later, Scout's Honor." Not that she was now or ever had been a scout of any kind. "It's about the thing I told you about earlier?"

Elena's expression cleared somewhat at that, and she rested her hand on Stefan's arm briefly. "Go on. It's best to humor her when she's like this."

Damon's smile could cut ice as Cynthia hooked her arm around one of the paladin's and began to lead him away.

"Any chance we can go out again?" The girl asked hopefully after they were out of (human) earshot. She politely pretended not to notice that Stefan, already quite stiff, seemed to grow even warier. Instead, Cynthia just pouted. "What? I thought we had a good time!"

Stefan visibly brooded at her, 'I'm attempting to be patient' in every line of his torso. "What is Damon having you tell Elena?"

Cynthia decided that if he wasn't going to answer her question, then she didn't have to answer his. She looked around for Lexi instead.

"Cynthia," the green eyed vampire tried again, gentler this time. "I need you to help me here, okay?"

Finding her target, Cynthia pushed Stefan to their left. "You worry too much, Paladin. It's just a surprise! We thought you needed help turning your frown upside down." She tried on an innocent smile. Cynthia wasn't sure if it went with her dress. However modest, it was an adult style more than a child's cut.

"The only gift Damon could give me that I want is for him to leave here. I somehow doubt you'd be so happy that he's leaving you behind. "

A warm voice interrupted Stefan before he could say anymore hurtful things. "Ouch! Here I was thinking you'd be happy to see me." It would be a lie to say Cynthia was anything less than pleased to witness Stefan turn around faster than her eyes could actually process. "Lexi?"

"The one and only. Our mutual friend there thought we should catch up. It sounds like we have a lot to talk about."

As softly as she could, Cynthia extricated herself to go find either Bonnie or Caroline. She'd even take Jenna. No one should have to be flying solo at an event like this, and her work here was done.

At least, until Damon decided dancing was in order again.

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* * *

 **A/N:** SURPRISE!? I have risen from the dead. I am so sorry for being away so long. Life happened, and well… it didn't stop coming. I've had to deal with multiple forced moves, suicidal loved ones, two funerals, and a disgusting amount of work and money issues, but dangit I want to finish this story!

I won't lie and say I know everywhere where I'm going next, but hopefully we'll have fun figuring it out together. ;) I really, really tried to make it reasonable for Elijah to show up sooner, but… unfortunately my better half made a pretty good case that he should wait another chapter at least. There was just too much else going on in this chapter.

 **IF YOU WANT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, PLEASE SUGGEST IT.** I'm trying to kickstart my muse again. I am really enjoying tweaking events and creating a divergent timeline to explore. ^_^

I am so, so sorry that I neglected to reply to all of your lovely reviews. I'd like to hit a few things now, and in the future I'll try to stay on top of them again!

First, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed, and/or favorited, because you convinced me that I could and SHOULD come back and continue this story. I feel so blessed my OC is so well received.

 **Dattlebasa1** and **Vitruvia** : Cynthia is predisposed to give the Mikaelsons a chance. We'll just have to see what they decide to do with that. I don't imagine Klaus is going to be pleased that Cynthia thinks he should clean house before creating a new species, or that she thinks – _read: knows_ – more about his curse and his mother than he does. Kol, however… well, at least she's not currently interested in waking Silas? –shaky thumbs up?- (I'm trying to get them here soon; I SWEAR. My plot bunnies keep running away from me!)

 **Cassandra-Jayne:** I'm really glad you liked the story so much (and I hope if you continue to read, you still will). I'm not positive what you meant by timeline, probably because I'm reading way too deeply into it. Did you mean posting schedule? Or planned series of events? So far, I'm keeping to what's a definite schedule from the show (for instance, the Founder's Party was scheduled by the Lockwoods and happens more or less around the same time every year, so I didn't move that around. But I obviously moved up the trip to Bree's.) I have a nebulous plan of events, but not a solid timeline just yet.

As for her name, Cynthia calls back to the goddess Artemis, and it sounds enough like a twin name to Elena to me. (Rather than have the Gilberts be jerks who named their twins names that start with a similar sound, they both end in –a, which really is not the worst fate to have.) Given Artemis is the goddess of the moon and the hunt, she felt particularly appropriate for dear Cynthia and what she's willing to do to fulfill her own plan of going home. Plus, I like the name. And I like torturing my OC by calling her Cyndy or Sinful and other plays on her name that make her want to break kneecaps. :D


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N** : Hello again my darlings! Good news for you, I'm going to try to post at least a chapter a month this year. I'd love to get back to a chapter a week, but one step at a time.

To the guest who doesn't like Cynthia's coping behavior, I'm sorry this isn't the right kind of story for you. For Cynthia, she already feels crazy because she's _in a fictional story for no good reason_. (Besides which, I know several people who acted the way she does in high school, and I'm reasonably certain they were not, in fact, from an alternate dimension. I could be wrong.) I'm writing this for my entertainment as much as I am for y'all, so while I may keep your feedback in mind for original writing? Please just accept Cynthia is who she is, and her personality isn't suddenly going to change now?

I may be a bit defensive, sorry.

Anyway, thank you guys for being so patient with me. I am always over the moon to hear this plot is so well received.

To address a few other questions: what she tells Klaus will entirely depend on how he reacts to her. She probably wants to be in his good graces since possessing others is a 'favorite trick' of his, and Cynthia has a rather vested interest in that knowledge. So I guess you'll have to wait and seeeee.~

Cynthia's heart is still back home in reality, so she isn't going to think much about whether or not Damon or Elijah think of her romantically right now. She's in denial so hardcore.

And yesss that was a Howl's Moving Castle reference. ^_^

NO FURTHER DELAYING BUT MY LOVE GOES OUT TO EVERY ONE OF YOU!

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* * *

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It was truly remarkable to Cynthia, when Elena chose to simply give her trust and when she could not. Stefan was a mystery, and Katherine was a puzzle she wanted solved. Lexi's closeness was grounds to worry about, despite the fact Lexi had a very clear love interest hanging about. Yet, Elena apparently had no issues with the way her boyfriend kept eyeing her twin sister.

Maybe her not twin thought that Stefan was only eyeing Damon. In fairness, Cynthia had spent most of the night in his proximity. Damon had been amazingly relaxed about not jumping right to opening the tomb, given he had all the pieces he needed now. Bree had met Bonnie, shortly after a candle lighting incident, so perhaps Damon was simply choosing not to push his luck.

Truthfully, Cynthia didn't think that Damon felt prepared to find out if Katherine was really under that church or not. She had given him plenty of reason to doubt the doppelganger's presence. Aside from her own unexplainable existence, this universe really wasn't all that different from that of the TV show. (Cynthia was aware of the books, but hadn't read more than the back covers in all honesty. Not that it mattered, this wasn't Fell's Church.)

She was trapped in the (oh so appropriately named) Mystic Falls prison world. Or close enough to one, even if it wasn't technically an actual prison.

Her life had become completely and utterly insane. Maybe she was heading that way herself. (She wouldn't know one way or another. Would she?) Dimension travel _into fictional places_... The young woman supposed it raised some questions as to the nature of the universe and the inspiration of both L.J. Smith and Julie Plec.

Dealing with teenage angst had to take precedence over worrying about the nature of reality, unreality, life, and undeath however.

"Who _is_ she even?" Elena stuffed a brie and red pepper jelly topped biscuit into her mouth with a positively dejected expression. "She shows up and suddenly he's smiling and - "

"Wait, smiling is a bad thing now?" Bonnie - bless her heart - Bennett was a sympathetic, if confused, ear to this new chapter of drama in the Stelena saga. The fact she was making time to lend an ear when she was probably shaky herself said quite a lot about her nature.

"No, I mean... yes, but no." Elena flopped next to her best friend. "I just feel like she doesn't like me. Am I overreacting?"

"Maybe a little bit," Cynthia cut into their conversation. (In her defense, they were right in front of her.) "Bonnie was unsure of Stefan too."

And in fairness, both Bonnie and Lexi had valid - if differing - reasons to question their best friend's current choice of partner.

"You think she's just being protective?" The hope in Elena's brown eyes was palpable. "I should go talk to him." She stuffed a few more of the hard biscuits into her mouth before vanishing before either girl could talk her down.

Bonnie watched her go then half laughed. "That could have gone worse."

True, but it could have gone a lot better. It wasn't like she'd met Lexi as 'towel girl' this time. Had she?

Her night did not improve any with sleep. In theory, the occasions her subconscious provided her with dreams featuring her love should have been desirable. They were all but engaged (she'd picked out a ring; how and when he popped the question would be the surprise.)

And yet, they weren't reassuring. Not even a little bit. When she awoke, Cynthia would be haunted by the fear that 'Cynthia Gilbert 1.0' was living her life and spending time with _her_ loved ones uninvited. While she was asleep, her worries were different but no less troubling to her.

His face was blurry now, a fact even her dream-self couldn't ignore. It was like she was forgetting him, as awful a thought as that was. But Cynthia didn't want to forget him! Not a single detail, from his laugh to the way he styled (and complained about) his hair, to his overly pun-tastic sense of humor and his preference for simple, forthright conversation over more the use of subtle implications.

But she was, somehow. Her visual memory and recall had never been all that. Without constant reinforcement, would - could? - she really forget entirely?

Cynthia dearly hoped not.

"And who, my pet, is this to get you so terribly bothered?"

Her eyes jerked away from the blurry face of her love to the (aggravatingly pristine and clear) lines of Damon's. He was standing on grey sand, just below the beach towel in lieu of a picnic blanket over boulders the couple had set up. The smell of fish and gasoline didn't seem to bother him any.

 _Lucky bastard._

Cynthia squinted at the vampire trying to decide if her subconscious was cruel or if he had simply invited himself into her head. It wouldn't surprise her in the least if he thought it was okay to invade her mind with no say so. Boundaries weren't a thing the man seemed to grasp, particularly when he was on a mission. And so close to either freeing (or burying his personal feelings for) his love? That most definitely counted as being on a mission.

"Kitten?" The blue eyed vampire prompted again, his grip a little too firm as he shook Cynthia's shoulder to regain her attention. It worked; she blinked sleep ladened eyes open to his hyperfocused gaze. "I'm still waiting, but! I brought you your fizzy sugar water of choice. It's all yours," Damon brandished the soda bottle, "for the low low price of - "

"Home. He's home."

Either something showed on her face or Damon was in a giving mood, because that sufficed as an answer for him. He passed over the caffeinated drink with an understanding nod. "He's your Katherine."

While the comparison was not one that made her overly comfortable, there were similarities (particularly from Damon's perspective), so Cynthia just tilted her chin to meet his gaze. "I would do anything for him. To get back to him." So maybe he was her Katherine, sans the disregard for others' lives and feelings. Not wanting to continue down this conversational path overly much, Cynthia pasted on a smile. "Breakfast?"

"It would be my pleasure."

After all, this was potentially their last hurrah, should the fate of one Katherine Pierce also be a divergence in this universe. And they had to cram everything in before school started today. Because not even an almost friendship or partnership or whatever it was they had would keep Damon from attempting to open the tomb. He had a witch, the talisman, and the necessary grimoire.

It was show time.

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* * *

.

At least sharing breakfast with Damon had cheered her up, even with how disgustingly early she'd been awakened. By the time the bell for first period was ringing, Cynthia was twirling through the halls and singing to herself.

"I could have danced all night; I could have danced all niiight. And still have begged for more."

Okay so she was singing very softly and trying not to feel self conscious in a school of fictional and mostly not well fleshed out characters who were also - completely coincidentally - some ten or more years younger than her in theory. Sadly for her friends, Cynthia's good mood did not appear to be shared.

Caroline was bemused at least, which was much better than the potential grudge for abandoning her to run solo on the blonde's private research project that Cynthia had feared. "You know, for someone who says she isn't interested in dating, you spend an awful lot of time with Damon. And you seem awfully chipper."

"At least one of us is." Elena slammed her locker shut forcefully, drawing the attention of all of the friend group.

Because really, of course she did. Elena seemed to thrive under the spotlight. Feeling guilty and uncharitable for the thought (directed to an actual human being and not just a character. Could you ethically judge someone based off of actions they have not yet committed? And if you could, should you if you had to live with them? Because really, this generation of Gilberts were not her faves.

Cynthia stopped singing regardless, exchanging a look with a confused Caroline and a still stressed Bonnie. The cheer captain was the one who spoke up first. "What's wrong, Elena? You and Stefan looked all cute and couple-y last night."

She couldn't still be jealous of Lexi, could she? Last time they'd become friends. Well, friendly, at least. Maybe Stefan wasn't fully in love this time (it was much earlier on) so it was different?

Or maybe, Cynthia thought, Lexi had her suspicions about what Cynthia knew that one Elijah Mikaelson would value and had distanced herself accordingly.

Elena shook her head throughout Cynthia's internal dialogue, happily oblivious to her not twin's thoughts. "I know. I had a good time at first. It's just really getting to me, all these secrets. It feels like I don't really know him at all. I like the mystery guy thing, but..."

"But you want him to open up to you," Bonnie finished understandingly. "Have you told him that?"

Cynthia couldn't quite make out Elena's next words, but she thought it was something along the lines of 'We argued about it.' or 'I talked. He didn't listen.' She could feel her good mood slipping away and crashing off the side of a cliff.

"I can't believe I'm saying this; the cheese fries weren't that life changing. You do know it's only been a few weeks? He'll open up to you when he's ready, Elena. You can't rush trust."

"How long am I supposed to wait?" Her (unfairly pretty and accustomed to the benefits of such) not twin was huffy again, shooting Cynthia a sulky glare. "He doesn't want to open up to me at all. It's like talking to a very attractive wall. It feels like you know more about my boyfriend than I do! I hadn't even heard of Lexi, before you and Damon brought her up for the party."

Caroline rose to Cynthia's defense immediately. "It's not Cynthia's fault that Damon is more willing to share than Stefan." And yeah, the blonde's glare wasn't particularly terrifying yet. Her sheer determination and a long history of pushing to get her way with this group more than sufficed.

Elena folded like a deck of cards. "I know; I know. Sorry. I'm just… out of sorts, I guess. Lexi seems nice at least? We're going to hang out together this afternoon. Girl bonding time, she said."

Or a mutual interview, but at least Elena seemed down for it. Cynthia did not want the doppleganger anywhere near the vampires that had been screwed over by Katherine 145 years ago. Ignoring the remaining chatter about maybe teasing some of mysteries out of his female BFF, Cynthia slipped off to class.

Not that school was any more interesting than it had been before she took a personal day. Well, maybe a little bit, because Caroline had given her a folder full of screenshots and newspaper clippings. If she'd had a smart phone and a laptop, Cynthia could have been perfectly happy working on that PowerPoint all day. As it was, she only had lunch to make use of the library, and even that didn't work out.

She needed to 'spend time with people that know her' and 'focus more on your schoolwork' according to the overly mothering Elena. Because she really, really needed a reason to sympathize with Jeremy, apparently.

It wasn't like Damon would actually need her immediately after school though, so Cynthia stopped by the Grill while she waited for cheer practice to finish. She'd made a promise, and it was about time that she held up her end of the bargain and provide support for Caroline. Particularly given it looked like she was right on track to discover the existential crisis that was vampirism.

So far, Cynthia hadn't caught sight of Anna (unless she no longer looked like Malese Jow here, which would be ridiculous given everyone else looked the same). That didn't mean that the petite vampiress wasn't in town. Perhaps she didn't know if Damon could open the tomb yetor not and was waiting things out? Had she seen the Emily possessed Bonnie destroy the talisman the first time around? Or had she simply come late and become determined to open the tomb one way or another herself? Maybe a little bird had told her of Damon's admission to Stefan in the alternate future past about planning to bring Katherine back?

Maybe there just wasn't any need for Anna to show herself yet. After all, before Halloween (it had been Halloween, hadn't it? When had they actually opened the tomb the first go round. This was mental.) Jeremy had been happily in a relationship with Vicki Donovan. A relationship that had blossomed just last night, judging by Tyler's disgruntlement and her not brother's sudden good mood.

Cynthia was certain it would be uncharitable to make bets on how long they would last. If their relationship tanked, it should theoretically be on their own merits. Damon shouldn't be as susceptible to vervain, and therefore nowhere near as likely to go on a starvation (+ anger) fueled murder spree.

So much plot advancement was happening all at once. It was wonderful, of course it was. Cynthia did not intend to spend her entire time here saving the Mystic Falls residents from their own bad decisions, but after tonight she would have more information and possibly even more allies to pursue her own goals. Namely, getting the heck home. Understanding how she got here in the first place would also be acceptable, but it really wasn't necessary. Cynthia would be happy to be at home and still oblivious.

No matter what Elena thought, not all questions need to be answered.

The doppelganger was chatting with Lexi now over a pool table. Their expressions were both friendly but a little guarded. Hopefully there would be little in the way of bloodshed. Cynthia was reasonably sure _losing_ the doppelganger would not be a plus at all in her negotiations with the Mikaelson clan. Stefan would be impossible to deal with, but frankly Lexi could deal with the Ripper of Monterey herself if - for some highly unlikely reason - she decided to terminate his love interest prematurely.

What were the odds of the quickly formed tv show allies having a cat fight though, really? The girl forced herself to table those worries for now, focusing instead on BSing her way through her assigned essays. In all honesty, the requirements here were more stringent than she remembered in the required college lit course she'd taken. If she ended up stranded in this world much longer, she might sign herself up for some AP tests.

That was also not a line of thought that she wanted to pursue. She wouldn't wreck Cynthia Gilbert's life, but she also wasn't going to be making plans for her. Frankly, her priority was **her own life**. She hadn't signed up for this disaster, and she would not be planning to lay down any roots either.

Not wanting to fail classes was more for her personal emotional health, and a little for Jenna's. That poor woman had far too much on her shoulders for 25. Grad school, her sister died, moving, and suddenly raising teenagers (multiple) with control and drug issues?

Jenna Sommers deserved a medal and a full plate of brownies. She did not deserve a cheating ex smarming his way back into her life to acquire a trouble making bespelled pocket watch. With fewer deaths in town, Cynthia could hope the council wasn't fully aware vampires were back in Mystic Falls, but there was always the possibility.

No need to borrow trouble there either, she reminded herself.

Essay as complete as she could be bothered to do right now, the girl folded away her notebook next to Caroline's folder in her backpack. Once again, Cynthia was grateful for the walkability of Mystic Falls. Reaching the Forbes' home only took around half an hour from the Grill, even if that was about twenty five minutes too long for Caroline's nerves.

"FINALLY!"

Caroline tore down the porch steps, ignoring Cynthia's mild comment of "Impatient much?" as the stylish blonde dragged her friend inside the house and to the living room.

"I've been sitting on this for days after you recommended I do some research on what's been eating at my mom. Yes, I'm impatient! Tell me you looked through the whole folder?"

Moments like this, Cynthia regretted not being able to offer tea as the cure for life's ails. Coffee just didn't fill the same role, and she wouldn't be surprised if Caroline watched her figure too much too indulge in enough chocolate. Running for Miss Mystic Falls (at some point?) and being cheer captain probably involved maintaining a healthy diet. More's the pity.

"I did. It looks like you've done a lot of research. You could probably score extra credit with the new history teacher, whenever we get one," Cynthia pulled the folder out of her backpack and set it down on a side table. "It seems like 'animal attacks' go back to the founding of the town itself."

"That's not even the best bit," Caroline promised, collapsing on the couch with a tense huff. "I read all the articles, not just the headlines." The two waited in expectant silence for a few moments. Care shifted so she was sitting up straight, clear blue eyes latching onto Cynthia's seriously.

The brunette made herself sit down, tension drying her tongue. "If this is about that Gilbert insanity thing, I promise I've experienced zero homicidal urges this week." She made a crossing motion as if over two hearts. She might have been given a Gilbert last name, but she had no plans on wearing that ring of darkness for anything. Still, could be worse. Cynthia might ask Jenna if other families had similar curses, after she had the woman up to date anyway.

Caroline frowned slightly then shook her head, looking confused by the change in topic briefly before promptly deciding to ignore it.

"I know this sounds crazy; I mean it makes Bonnie's joking about being a witch sound totally normal. Which is saying something. Her Grams comes up with some real winners. But do you remember when we were nine, and we all went camping? Elena was doing that thing where she insisted on us telling ghost stories so she could be scared and have Matt comfort her."

Cynthia deliberately blinked a few times at that, causing Caroline to shift slightly and make an apologetic face. Cynthia didn't push for anything verbal, so the other girl continued.

"Bonnie brought up some bloodthirsty guardian that protected children but burned their parents alive that Grams taught her, and Dad started going on about how you can't trust anyone that doesn't stay dead."

"You're dad isn't very religious, is he?" Cynthia asked dryly, finally startling a laugh out of Caroline who looked a little less on edge now. "What does this have to do with Mystic Falls' mysterious bouts of animal attacks?"

Caroline edged forward just a little more. "What if... what if they weren't animals? What if that's just a cover story the police and the mayor use to keep people from freaking out? Because they have to know the truth, right? If they do, it would totally explain why mom is even more absent than normal these days."

The petite brunette held up a hand in a calming gesture, "What else could be causing the attacks, and why do you think so? I can see you have a theory, but you've gotten a bit sidetracked from your comment about reading full articles to ghost stories."

That got her a nod, and Caroline took a deep breath. "One of the articles spoke about an attack at the Salvatore boarding house. It caught my interest, because Joseph Salvatore was housebound near the end of his life. My grandfather used to say he was a prime example of what founding family members shouldn't be.

"It made me curious, and I just so happened to have a dozen cookies left over from one of the functions I helped host last weekend, so I may have gone by the station and asked to check out the archives."

Cynthia's lips curled up in a smile. "I'm sure the cookies smoothed the way for you," along with her positive reputation.

Caroline pulled out her phone and passed it to her friend. "The video is very grainy; I couldn't get a great focus with it either. Tell me what you see?"

She watched as a tiny image of Franklin Fell reported the attack and whoever manned the camera zoomed in on Stefan's face in full 'wall of stone' brooding mode. Cynthia kept her expression solemn the entire time. She passed the other girl her phone back, "I'd say that's our friendly neighborhood paladin, Stefan Salvatore."

"The thing is, this video? It was recorded June 12th, 1953. How can Stefan be there?"

Cynthia nodded in understanding. "There are strong genes, and then there's 'absolutely identical'. Statistically and scientifically... it shouldn't be possible."

"Which brings me back to the ghost stories," Caroline rested her head in her hands. "How do I talk to my mom about any of this?"

"Alcohol is probably right out," Cynthia muttered, attempting to look innocent in the face of Caroline's questioning look. "Well," she said louder. "Let's look at it separately. The animal attacks probably aren't wild animals, and Stefan may be Dorian Gray. Or reincarnate and be destined to live a very short life, but probably not that."

 _Don't hand her the answer. It'll be better if she figures it out on her own._

"What do you think could be responsible for the attacks?" She prompted after a few moments, when it became clear Caroline was still too overloaded to start the discussion herself.

A shrug was her initial response. "A creepy cult, maybe? At least, I'd think that if it weren't for Stefan not having aged a day in decades."

Silence reigned between them again, almost but not quite reaching 'comfortable'.

"I don't know what Stefan's deal is, but I can't imagine him attacking anyone," Caroline said slowly. (How terribly fortunate for her.) "He's our star football player, not exactly the picture of a homicidal maniac."

It was more of a struggle to stay patient now. She might be able to change even more once Caroline had seen the light! And Care was so, so close. "I'm sure he would find your confidence touching."

"Right, because I can totally tell him that I think he might be either undead or an immortal, but I still expect him to show up to the car wash fundraiser on Thursday."

Cynthia really couldn't help her smile now. "I think you should do precisely that. Promise you'll let me watch?"

.

* * *

.

Dinner with the Gilbert family was as entertaining as it was awkward. Damon had invited himself over again, bringing apple pie and a determination to charm Jenna. (Possibly also to rub in Stefan's face that a responsible adult preferred and welcomed him. All on her own too, Cynthia had seen to it that Jenna had her own set of vervain treated jewelry.) He might overdo it a bit, but her aunt - and Cynthia would totally claim Jenna as family. She was too badass not to do so - told her that she appreciated the effort Damon was making.

Plus, Damon was good at getting actual responses from Jeremy, far more consistently than any of the kid's relatives seemed to. Maybe because he'd once been a teenage boy, or because he'd also pined for years after what he considered to be the love of his life. Maybe it was just that he saw Jeremy being together with Vicki as a sign he too would be successful with Katherine.

Maybe it's Maybelline.

Whatever the reason, Vicki, Jeremy, Damon, and Jenna did not make for the worst of dinner partners. Jenna's tacos were amazing, and the two stoners had the decency to not be high in front of Jer's guardian.

All in all? Not a bad end to the day or a bad start to the night. Even if Cynthia suspected it would all be downhill from here. There really wasn't a good answer - from her perspective - to the tomb question. It wasn't a skippable plot point though, so her only way was forward.

Bree actually came to pick them up, giving a pretty illusion of adult supervision (Damon was supposedly younger than Jenna, but Bree was not.)

"Ready, lover boy?" Bree smirked at how radiantly cheerful Damon was as she hopped out of her car and walked up the steps to the Gilbert house. "His girlfriend is supposed to be arriving. Somehow we became the welcoming committee."

Cynthia would later admit quietly to the witch that it was entertaining visibly seeing her dynamic with Damon be re-evaluated.

"Well stay safe, you three," Jenna gave them all a warm smile, thawing even more at the thought one of her minor charges was not, in fact, being pursued by a legal adult. Something too many people seemed to doubt, in Cynthia's humble opinion. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Jenna added with a wink to her niece before waving the three off.

Damon insisted on grabbing a cooler with some blood bags from the boarding house before they actually started the creepy ritual. Given his vamp speed, Cynthia didn't actually notice he had left until suddenly the man returned. (With all the beautiful, terrible timing of a planned jump scare.) She'd been helping set up candles, and Cynthia just about burnt herself on one from shock.

The incorrigible vampire was far too amused at her close call.

Forcefully tuning out of the actual spell itself, Cynthia focused intently on Bree's face instead. She had the Bennett grimoire in one hand and the talisman raised in the other after having completed the elemental offering portion. The amber colored crystal started to glow the longer Bree chanted; Cynthia tried not to worry about the sweat beading on the witch's brow. There should be more than enough power from the comet, given Emily hadn't destroyed it (yet).

"It's open," the witch announced after a few minutes. "The barrier itself isn't down, but it's open."

"What are you waiting for?" Damon asked impatiently, trying to shake off Cynthia's hand without hurting her. (There was no need to hurt his friend. She was worried for him, but he knew she was wrong. Knew Katherine would be there. So why all this caution from his witch now?)

Bree just stared him down, unimpressed. "We had a deal about killing the others, did we not? I see no reason to make it easier for them to escape."

Damon's hackles lowered slightly at that, even if he did grumble that dessicated vampires couldn't run all that fast. He also, sulkily, promised to keep the blood outside of the tomb.

"Now," Bree continued. "Seeing as Cynthia is just as familiar as you are on what Katherine looks like, she and I are going to find her, then burn the rest of these sorry sons of bitches, and I'll be able to go back to my bar."

Cynthia straightened slightly. "Not all of them." It was almost a question. "Pearl and Harper will be reasonable." She could feel the full weight of Bree's gaze on her, asking what gave her the right to play God, maybe. "I'm not saying let them out if Katherine isn't here. Just... don't kill them?"

The witch lifted up a torch and shrugged. "On your head be it. I suppose it won't matter until we go look. You - " she pointed to Damon, "stay there and don't worry your pretty little head, sugar."

Walking among dessicated bodies was really, really creepy and queasy making. The show had not warned her sufficiently that she would be slapping at imagined bugs, or what the scent of so many not fully decayed bodies would be. It didn't prepare her for the squishy sensation of stepping over dead maggots (how were they even here? was she dreaming them?). It definitely did not prepare her for the discomfort of leaning close to examine the faces of starved vampires, or the blood rush that created when her subconscious was certain they'd reach up and grab her any second.

Dragging the bodies of the vampires she was saving? That was going to give her nightmares for weeks. Cynthia's heart had lodged itself in her throat, and she whimpered quietly around it. To her eternal gratitude, all Bree did was squeeze her shoulder nonjudgmentally and walk out to talk to Damon. Going by the soft, comforting patterns of the woman's voice, and the sudden growl and gust of wind, Bree also told their mutual friend the news.

Cynthia was dead certain of that fact when she started hearing trees crash to the ground in Damon's anger.

Even knowing it was possible, he hadn't wanted to believe. Was it better or worse, to not have his younger brother as a witness. As someone to help shoulder the knowledge of her betrayal and to be visible proof he wasn't the only one abandoned.

Then again, Stefan was someone with expectations of him, however low.

"You didn't seem surprised that Katherine was missing."

Cynthia turned towards Bree's easy stare and offered the older woman a shaky smile. "Would you believe I saw the drama on TV once upon a time?" Stars above, but life might be a bit easier if she did. Her fledgling hope died immediately at the complete lack of reaction, so Cynthia took a deep breath and tried to force herself to light the vampire corpses.

Except, it wasn't that easy. When it came right down to it, knowing they'd mind controlled and fed off of plenty people, that they would threaten the entire town's safety if let free, that they were only in the land of the living because of magic... It didn't make killing them, burning them alive - however unconscious they might be - any easier. Hell, even the part where they were and should be fictional didn't keep the taste of hot copper out of her mouth or the dizzy feeling of guilt.

"I think I might... I might sit down for a sec." The dead weren't going anywhere just yet anyway. She couldn't just let someone else act out her plan alone, that wouldn't absolve her of anything. And Cynthia had no illusions that tonight had been anything but her plan. Yes, it might (probably would) have happened anyway, but the method and the timing had been down to her. Besides, if anything, tonight reinforced that her knowledge was correct.

If you knew away to prevent unnecessary loss of life, didn't you have to try?

Throwing her torch angrily into a pile of nameless bodies, Cynthia staggered out of the entrance and into a familiar, tight hold.

"Easy, kitten."

It didn't matter that he smelled like leaf detritus and tree pulp or that there were honest to goodness acorn caps in her hair now, Cynthia squeezed the life out of Damon in return.

(How fortunate for them that he didn't have any to lose.)

Does it count as murder if they were already dead?

She strained her neck to look up into Damon's eyes, his as wild as hers right now. Only Damon's were full of outrage and anger while hers were fear and uncertainty she would have preferred to deny.

"You two have a safe place for the ones she's vouching for?" Bree nodded to the two limp mummified bodies after Cynthia's breathing had slowed. "Or would you rather leave them here? It's no sweat off my back either way, hun."

For a staggering moment, Damon's expression curled and Cynthia fully expected him to march in and kill Pearl and Harper for being buried alive when Katherine hadn't. A breath and she had discarded that idea. He might be self destructive, but so far Damon hadn't let her down once. She had to return the favor and not doubt him ahead of time.

"Someone else is bound to come check for them. I've asked for enough help through the years," Damon acknowledged, shielding Cynthia's certainty with a perfectly reasonable explanation of his own. "I'll take custody of them. Thank you, for all your help."

Damon kissed Bree thoroughly, as if he hadn't been raging about the betrayal of his sire and former flame. He received a bemused look afterwards. "Just so we're clear, they are not going in my car."

Cynthia paid more attention the second time, watching the light ebb out of the crystal in waves before dissipating after a few words. Damon zipped in then out of the tomb in moments, taking his blood bags with him.

"Just us ladies then. Come on, sweetheart. You look like you need a shower and some quality time in bed."

Managing a weak smile, Cynthia shuffled into Bree's passenger seat and stared blankly out the window at the dark blur of leaves, needles, and bark the forest made. What did she do if she couldn't convince Lexi to use her contacts to find Elijah? None of the Salvatores had heard of the Originals at all, and while Katerina was certainly well informed, she didn't have much of a way to get ahold of her either. Or convince her to do what she wanted.

Isobel had done a poor job of looking out for her daughter's interests the first time round, but beggars can't be choosers. Cynthia would explore alternate methods as long as she could. She was manipulating quite enough to her advantage, and all things considered she didn't want to be competing with too many others.

Particularly others she didn't much like.

"I'm still not sure what you're doing getting in Damon's mess, but it seems you've got a fair few problems of your own. No matter what it feels like, the world isn't actually going to end." Was she getting a pep talk? It wasn't really helping, but Cynthia could at least appreciate the sentiment. Bree continued without looking away from the road. "Don't let your fear drag you into the dark."

So maybe not really a pep talk then. She shifted to stare out the windshield instead of the door.

"I'm already in the dark. The doppelgangers are being drawn to each other again. We're already on a self destructive slope. One I would much rather disembark alive and in good health, all things considered."

"Doppelgangers. As in plural?"

Cynthia snorted, grinning with all her teeth at the question. "My friend, you have _no idea_."

"You're a strange one," Bree shook her head. "I can see why he likes you. Listen, this amulet and the grimoire should go back to the Bennetts. I helped Emily repay a debt to Damon, and I like the man besides, but they belong with her family now. You don't mind handling that for me?"

As Bree must have predicted, Cynthia did not. So the woman kept talking after a brief pause, "You try to take care of yourself, alright? If you're ever in town, don't be shy about paying me another visit."

The tires grinded to a halt just off the driveway, and she gathered up the items for her new side quest (because that was absolutely what this felt like) before she waved goodbye to Bree. They hadn't spoken much else on the trip. Cynthia was unwilling to disclose what she meant by doppelgangers much less how she knew. Witches weren't all that trustworthy by her standards, which was unfortunate because they probably had something to do with her arrival.

It worried her, during quieter moments, that she couldn't think of a time to minds were switched. Sure, there had been possession, but no Freaky Friday moments that Cynthia could recall on the show. If she was here because of a spell gone wrong, what would it take to return?

Setting grimoire and talisman on a dresser, the girl bundled up clean clothes before heading to the bathroom to scour herself clean. Her mind felt a mess after everything that had happened. The fire, the decay, the flare of magic, the way Damon's eyes had fractured then shuttered closed. She soaped up her loofah and stood under the water as it slowly started steaming.

She needed _out of here_ , before it drowned her. Before she got so wrapped up in the teenage hormones and magic drama that she felt responsible for the outcome. As it was, Cynthia already had to fight off the occasional bout of guilt she was planning on using Elena as a bargaining chip in any way. She didn't have any significant memories of being the girl's sister, but using her position as her twin seemed wrong. Just like burning the vampires had. Never mind that it was for the best, that it would save lives. Never mind that Niklaus would have every reason to keep Elena human after the ritual to make his hybrids with, and since it would be important to him, he would be more than willing to spend his time and resources on the matter.

If she were an identical twin, she could use herself, but that was out of the question. Cynthia rinsed out the bile that had risen to her mouth with the shower spray, then pressed her forehead to the tile and just breathed in the steam.

There's no need for panic. (She knew where her towel was.) Giggling at the absurd appropriateness of that thought helped Cynthia finally finish scrubbing and conditioning her hair. And if it was a little cathartic to comb out her tangles? She didn't think there was anything wrong with that. After she dried off with a gloriously fluffy towel and donned her pjs, Cynthia skipped down the hall to the stairs, happily ignoring the muffled 'Finally!' from Elena's room. Apparently girl bonding time was over, then, and it had ended with Elena in one piece. Excellent.

Elena's lack of patience did not stop Cynthia from her next goal, namely, hot chocolate. She made several mugs, carrying one to leave in Elena's room as a peace offering and the other to Jenna.

"Making any headway?" She asked as a way to announce her presence shortly before placing the cup on one of the cleaner areas of the desk. Jenna jerked slightly before shuffling a few papers and smiling her thanks. "Some. Isn't it a little early for hot cocoa?"

Cynthia tssked good naturedly, "It's never too early, Jenna. Didn't you know?"

"Guess not," her aunt blew over the top to try and cool down the liquid some. "Did you get to meet Damon's girlfriend then? He was glowing when your friend picked the two of you up."

Her good cheer crumpled slightly – bruised but still managing – and she shook her head. "We looked, and I mean really, really looked. She wasn't there. I'm pretty sure that Emily, the friend of his girlfriend's who said she'd be there, tricked him."

Jenna drank some of the hot chocolate and grimaced, "That's harsh. How'd he take it?"

 _Somehow both better and worse than she had expected._

"I wouldn't be surprised if he became one of the Grill's most dedicated patrons. He can drink alcohol like it's water." Cynthia paused. "Bree drove me home." Best not to imply he was driving drunk, Jenna looked like she was in advising mode, preparing to dispense life truths. "You'd let me know if there was anything I can do to help, right? I'm excellent at passing out surveys. Caroline's given me loads of practice in handing out papers people aren't sure they want to take."

"Away with you. I have essays to grade and a test to study for, I don't need your sass." Jenna was laughing though, which Cynthia took as victory even as she danced out of the room. At least the night wasn't ending on a completely bad note.

.

* * *

.

Vicki was still around by breakfast, which might amuse Jenna but annoyed the heck out of Elena. Not because Jeremy was a minor, but presumably just because of Vicki herself. Cynthia had to bite her tongue to not tell Elena to just suck it up, even if her whining to Bonnie about it tested the limits of her patience. Jenna was fine with it. No one had to run their overnight guest choices by Elena, even if it was awkward having your ex boyfriend's sister date your brother.

It was a good thing Cynthia was keeping the mocking commentary to herself. Somehow, she didn't think that 'Don't worry, a dead girl might seduce him any week now,' would be taken as reassuring.

"...And then she straight up slapped Damon," apparently Elena's story had progressed, and now Cynthia was regretting tuning her out. "Wait what? Why?"

Elena's eyes were terribly judging. 'Weren't you listening?' they asked. Well, no, I wasn't. Also you can't speak, so shut up.

"She might have heard him say something to Stefan. Or she took offense to him bringing two girls home and an impressive amount of alcohol, if it weren't so disgusting. Lexi called him out for being a sleazebag, and he… he said something like 'teach me how to be good', and she knocked him down."

"My hero," Bonnie quipped. She had no real reason to be afraid of Damon just yet, but he still made her feel uncomfortable.

Cynthia stuck like glue to Caroline's side as soon as they reached school, unwilling to miss the potential drama of her confronting Stefan. Most unfortunately for her, Caroline kept hissing things like 'not right now', 'I don't want to say the wrong thing,' and 'Maybe after school.' Boring, honestly. What was today even good for?

Damon was once again her saving grace, updating her on their hostage guests. She didn't confront him about his choice in indulging in sorority girls. (Cynthia assumed they had been anyway.) As much as she didn't like it, Lexi had sent them on their way in short order according to Elena, and Stefan had probably given him enough of a lecture.

Not to mention, their friendship so far was basically neither of them judging each other. Now wasn't the time to be shaking that foundation, unless Cynthia was very much mistaken.

Sometime after lunch, she finally remembered she should talk to Bonnie. (Good going, brain.)

"Hey Bonnie? Do you mind taking me to see your Grams? Bree gave me something to return to her."

Well, technically, to the Bennetts as a whole, but given she wasn't 100% positive that Bonnie had accepted she was a witch, Cynthia figured it would be best to return them to Sheila.

"Really? That's… kind of weird."

She shrugged in a 'what can you do?' kind of way. Bonnie seemed to sympathize, because she smiled back. "I'll take you after school. I was going to go see her anyway."

Cynthia bounced, suddenly the picture of delight, "Are you finally accepting your calling as a necromancer? Don't worry, you'll be glorious at it!" She was, in fact, so enthusiastic that she completely missed Bonnie rolling her eyes in despair at her antics.

Cheer was hard to come by, so Cynthia refused to give it up. Even if there had been an 'animal attack' reported in the paper, and even if Lexi was only sending terrible puns via text message today. She kept her good through a boring as heck quiz, and even the ride over. Cynthia had sung along (horribly, most likely) to the radio along with Bonnie.

Sure, she was nervous to meet Bonnie's Grams in person. Sheila Bennett was a force of nature that she knew not to underestimate. Someone who had long known Stefan and Damon's secret, and kept it for them in a way. Someone whose dedication to her family was as fierce, inspiring, and deadly. But even if Cynthia was dimensionally and reality challenged right now, she wasn't threatening Bonnie and was returning heirlooms. She should feel excited, but Cynthia couldn't manage it.

Her already low expectations sunk even lower when Sheila opened the door and looked from Bonnie to her, then back.

"Who's this, now? You didn't tell me you were bringing over a guest," she told her granddaughter before reaching out a welcoming hand. "I'm Sheila Bennett. It's nice to meet you."

Of course, Cynthia took it. (Had no choice but to really.) Heck, she wanted to know what Sheila's internal witch mojo had to say about her, because maybe then she'd get some answers. Hopefully good ones, even.

"Cynthia," The brunette gave the older witch a tentative smile. "It's a pleasure."

"You're a long way from home," was her response. Cynthia felt like flying, because finally, finally something might be going right, if Sheila could tell _that_.

"Grams, why are you acting like she's a stranger? We grew up together. She's Elena's twin. Pleaaase tell me you haven't been drinking already? Cynthia, I'm sorry, you should probably go. I'll take whatever it is and give it to Grams when she comes back around."

Sheila glared pointedly. "I'm not drunk. And I'm amazingly not deaf either. Cynthia and I have never met." She grumbled something else, but Cynthia didn't hear it over the sound of her bag as she unzipped it and pulled out the items in question. What she did hear was Sheila's gasp of recognition.

Cynthia placed both on the coffee table. "Your history should never have been kept from you," she told the Bennett witch solemnly, "I'll see you later, Bonnie." Then she made a hasty retreat out of the house, no longer sure how to interpret Sheila's reception of her.

This was either very good or very bad news, because wasn't it always here?

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 _Stefan smiled! Elena and Lexi do not approve of Damon's shenanigans. Caroline is the best! And what did Sheila mean?_

As always, reviews are love. Reviews are life.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Afsdfafs I love you all so much, and I cannot say it enough. Sorry the beginning was confusing! I may revise it later (if I remember, once I get ahead on my writing.) I have a problem with getting ahead of myself, but yes MM. You've got it. I wanted to wrap up the party a little, and also give a little insight into some of Cynthia's more personal thoughts/fears/goals that don't relate exclusively to the TVD storyline. I've not actually seen an SI OC fic where someone had a compelling reason to want to get home, and Cynthia very, very much does.

As for my favorite questions about Cynthia… -evil laughter- You guys know it wouldn't actually be fun for me to straight up tell you, right? (And so unfair to Cynthia who doesn't even know herself!) I will say that I have always intended for Cynthia to find out at least something about how she ended up in TVD land. I consider it part of the plot not just a background tool to get the story started.

Also, if I haven't actually said it already, I strongly prefer slow burn romances. Like… their pinkies don't touch until chapter 27 levels of slow burn. (I may not actually be going to that extreme.)

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Stefan was the first to find Cynthia in her hiding spot. He hadn't even been trying to find her, going by his, "Cynthia, what are you doing here?" by way of greeting. Really, it would have been insulting if she had the energy capacity for it. Obviously she was draped in the coverlet from Damon's bed, contemplating all the possible reasons Sheila Bennett might claim she had never met Cynthia with such complete lack of recognition, and she was coming up with darker and darker theories. At first, she'd been hopeful, but what if it wasn't her soul or her mind Grams was reacting to? What if it was somehow her body?

The simple fact was Elena Gilbert had not had a twin in the story that Cynthia knew. If she did have one here, then wouldn't there have been some sort of ripple effect, changing events more up until her arrival? Instead of everything being the exact same? Or did this universe just _want_ things to end up the way they had? (Okay, not thinking of a sentient universe again. That was creepy.)

So that was why Cynthia had stashed herself away in Damon's room, because he would tell her to stop being a worrywart, and that it didn't really matter either way. Her plan had been to reach out to Elijah, after all, not a judgy witch. 'Don't worry about what they think; I never do.'

Only, it wasn't Damon who'd decided to investigate the sound of her heartbeat first, apparently. It was the currently boring brother.

"Cynthia," Stefan was trying again. "You shouldn't be here. It's not safe for you. Damon is only using you," no shit, Sherlock, "to get to me." Okay, what now? Cynthia blinked up at him from under the blanket, trying to convey the full force of her disbelief via her eyes. "He's just going to turn you into collateral damage on whatever destructive path he's on. All Damon wants is to destroy every chance of happiness that I have, Cynthia. And he's never going to stop."

The hell of the thing was – she could tell that Stefan genuinely believed every word he was saying. His sincerity rang out from the guilty and frustrated lines of his arms to his face with his harlequin novel stare begging Cynthia to just believe him and save herself.

"Destruction. That's what you got from him bringing Lexi and her husband up for the party? You seemed much more cheerful about her being here earlier." Why the turn about?

"Not at first. Not until I thought about it. You don't think Damon proving that he can find and convince my best friend to go wherever he wants on the turn of a dime isn't a threat?"

Cynthia huffed and tossed the blanket his way, because _honestly_ , she thought she was being dramatic before he showed up with this mess of a theory. "No. No, I don't see getting your best friend a daylight ring and bringing her to you when you're stressing about a human girlfriend as being a threat or a power play, Stefan."

Did the immortal seventeen year old believe her? No. Judging by his hardening expression, whatever he had heard from her words carried the precise opposite of what Cynthia had bloody well meant.

"Every time I think that maybe there's any of my brother left, Damon destroys something, someone, just to prove me wrong. To prove I was wrong for expecting any humanity from him. I'm not… I can't make that mistake again, Cynthia." Stefan gave her a somber look. "I have too much to lose."

Well and damn. She successfully fought off the urge to groan into a pillow, but only just. Aside from the way he could completely stab his brother in the back, Cynthia didn't hate Stefan, even if he had hero hair or reminded her uncomfortably of Edward Cullen. He didn't come in through Elena's window uninvited every night, and it wasn't just his girlfriend's blood he had trouble resisting either. Stefan truly believed that he was doing the right thing, something Cynthia could sympathize with in the same breath that she knew it to be dangerous. (And not just for her, for him, for everyone. Believing you are correct does not make you correct.)

"Hello brother," Damon's low voice interrupted both her musings and Stefan's silent pleading with her. "Snack bar," the blue eyed vampire added after a moment with a mischievous turn of his lips that Cynthia thought meant he bore her no ill will. Th"is was a Damon with an emotional scar that had been ripped over anew though. Maybe he just found how rumpled her hair and clothes were to be amusing.

Probably he meant her no harm though. Cynthia repeated her inner mantra to trust him until he actually let her down. It went something like 'Don't be a Stefan. Don't be an Elena.'

So Cynthia rose to her feet with a smile and tried to dance past Stefan to reach her preferred brother. Tried, of course, being the operative word, given that Stefan latched a hold of her arm. It would have been sweet that he wanted to save her from herself had she most vehemently not wanted said saving.

"Tough crowd." Damon set down a glass of what Cynthia assumed was bourbon. "Stefan, the whole point of enjoying a pair of twins is to have them as a set. I'm disappointed that you just don't seem to grasp how this works. Although your location choice is… poetic."

"Not all of us live with our mind in the gutter, Damon," Stefan retorted. Cynthia was itching to slap her friend for that comment, but again, restraint won out. For once. Her Pikachu was clearly immune to her glaring too, because he just grinned at both of them _cheekily_. "Pity." He leaned in to half whisper to his brother. "You're so much more fun when you do."

Tentatively, Cynthia tried to wriggle out of Stefan's hold as the brothers stared each other down. Much to her displeasure, it was not very effective. Stupid vampire super strength. Stupid amplified stubbornness.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" Stefan's voice was strained. It was clearly a bad thing to let him outside the Lexi sphere of happiness for too long at all. It messed with his stress levels, and possibly his sanity levels. The older of the two brothers put on a thoughtful expression. "What am I doing in my room, you mean? With my snackbar having so nicely ordered herself in after you spoilsports got rid of my takeout last night. Gee, I wonder what I could want."

Stefan was going to leave bruises on her arm at this rate. He was such a wet blanket, that had been _funny._ And reassuring that Damon didn't actually think she'd come to his room for Stefan. Cynthia had no desire to even make Damon suspect she wanted to betray him, leave him behind for the paladin like everybody else did. His father, his mother (in the future?), Katherine, Elena, maybe not Alaric but overall… overall, the man's track record was awful.

His younger brother's (literal) strong arming was getting on Cynthia's nerves though.

"It's my choice, Stef," she decided to cut off whatever his argument might be. It was likely to just be a repeat from the first football game anyway. Boringboringboring. His eyes were back on her now, bright and burning. "Haven't you learned by now? Not everyone wants to be saved."

Cynthia did want to be saved, of course, just not from an agreement she made with Damon. She would much rather be saved from this universe as a whole. When Damon liked you – which Cynthia was reasonably certain he did – his presence wasn't a hardship to bear. He was witty, snarky, and even sweet if he wanted to be. And if he liked you? The chances were good he might, so long as you didn't make too big of a deal about that.

Damon was proud of being a monster and did not take kindly to any implication he was otherwise. Even if he also liked being treated as someone good.

He was also rather impatient for someone who so liked concocting master plans, because he ripped her out of Stefan's hold, grinning wildly at his brother. She'd have appreciated it more if she didn't feel like the action had actually torn something. Whimpering wasn't going to do her any favors in getting Stefan to leave, but shit, it had hurt.

"Cynthia can play with you later, baby bro. Go to practice. You're supposed to be engaging, not being a loner anymore," Damon's voice was still full of mirth as his brother retaliated by taking the glass of alcohol away as he was shooed out the door. Naturally, he didn't notice how little Damon cared about that. Cynthia waited in (mostly) silence as Damon toed off his shoes and flopped down on the bed. He'd released his own hold on her as soon as the door had swung shut. "You missed a hell of a show last night," he informed her after a moment. "I almost gave Uncle Zach a coronary."

"Was this before or after Lexi tried to rearrange your face?"

He pouted, "Someone spoiled you on the highlights, I see. Presumably your delectable sister? Lexi said something about 'keeping my dirty laundry a secret this one time' for your sake. She likes you. It's a little disgusting."

"As someone who very much needs her to do that favor and get in touch with Elijah, I'm going to happily ignore your opinion on that matter," Cynthia informed him, giggling a little when he reached up and pulled her to join him in bed. If he wasn't a 'proud to be a dick and a murdering arse', she might have even dared to think of this as 'cuddling'. That and the fact he was abusing her already hurt arm more by pulling her with it. "Yes, yes, your obsession with smoothing over that viper pit of drama aside," Damon smirked down at Cynthia. "You like her. You were sneaking around places and laughing."

She tilted her chin up to try and see his face, despite the odd angle, concerned about where his thought process was. "She doesn't deserve to die, even if she can't see you're more than the bad parts of being a vampire. You're the fun parts too." That last sentence may have been hastily added to avoid him thinking she was romanticizing him, but it was true that she'd had plenty of fun with Damon. No one else would desecrate a grave for her, particularly their father's grave. Or take her on a spontaneous road trip, stage her death, or help protect her friends from… well… vampires like him. "And she would have." By his hand, but if anyone was listening, Cynthia wasn't going to add that bit. Let them wonder what she meant", Sheila had given her enough mystery to deal with. "Anyone the word 'responsible' could legitimately apply to isn't safe from this Hellmouth."

Damon looked at her seriously, "Well, that rules you out, Pip." And Cynthia died, her laughter was painful because she wanted to clench her arm closer to her chest protectively. Instead, she was muffling her laughter with her other fist. After a moment, Damon poked her, as if she might have broken. "It wasn't that funny."

"Maybe not," Cynthia breathed slowly, pushing back the amused tears, "but you should add movie quotes to your list of positive traits. It's so much better than your unflinching ability to listen to Taylor Swift."

He huffed slightly, and she could feel his breath in her hair. It tickled a little bit. "You're so weird."

There was no point in denying that. "Yes. Yes I am. That okay?" He shrugged behind her, and Cynthia felt an arm wrap around her again. A familiar iron band that had held her still the previous night, just a little too tight, but that was okay. Really, it was. Her arm was being a bitch, but hell, Damon wasn't pushing her away even now that she'd be proven to be correct about Katherine Pierce. "You'll do," was his rumbling response, and Cynthia smiled and rested her heads back against his chest.

That'll do, Donkey. That'll do, she told herself silently.

"What do we do if Lexi refuses?" Cynthia offered up the question to the quiet that stretched between them, smothering with her current anxieties. Damon didn't seem as worried or as angry as the night before. He was probably back in denial – this time about having ever cared at all – but she would be the world's biggest hypocrite to call him out on that. "Fake it 'til we make it?"

"Don't worry, darling," that pet name sent a shiver down her spine. Damon didn't like sweet. Fun, yes. Entertaining, definitely, but when he was sweet, all she could picture was brutal murder. "I'm excellent at furthering my ultimate agenda. It just so happens that while I don't exactly need allies, I could do without making any extra enemies either. You've given me no reason not to trust you." Cynthia could practically hear him smirking, "Besides, it's relaxing, not having to hunt all the time and put up with Zach and Stefan's huffy judgement about me murdering townsfolk. Now they just go on and on acting like you're not the perfect little toy for me to occupy my time with."

"I'm not _that_ little."

"Mhmn, whatever you say." He pulled her into a sitting position, moving her more gently this time. "You were upset." Not a question, just a statement of fact. Something that Stefan – the 'kind' one – had either not noticed or misinterpreted. Cynthia didn't bother lying (wouldn't he be able to hear it in her heartbeat? Or did it not work like that? She thought it might.) "Bree had me return the Bennett things to Sheila," she started cautiously. "I'd… I had hoped that maybe I could ask her for advice too, especially since there's no way for sure to know we can get a hold of Elijah on our own instead of waiting for Elea to just get kidnapped. But she… she doesn't remember me at all, Damon. I'm not sure what she meant, but the possibilities are terrifying."

It would mean far less allies than she thought she might have. Would Elena still trust her if it turned out she was a cuckoo twice over? If whoever had switched places with her had inserted themselves into the Gilbert's life first? How would John take someone posing as his daughter?

Or she could be being completely over paranoid and reading things that weren't there. If so, Cynthia was starting to get on her own bloody nerves. How exactly did one use Occam's Razor effectively in a world where your history teacher used to be married to your biological mother, who gave you up for adoption? Or where the same stretch of land had been 'originally settled' by how many groups of people? History here was more flexible than some time travel shows she liked, and the later they showed up, it often seemed the more powerful and more nefarious.

"And you care about this why? Even her granddaughter thinks she's a nut job." Damon asked, and Cynthia smiled a little. "If things ever get too bad," he continued after a moment, reading something in her body language. "I'll let you stay in my closet. I'll take you out for food and water and sunshine regularly, and you can even use the bed when I'm not having guests." He wriggled his eyebrows until Cynthia got the message and she faked gagging in retort. "That's torture, that is! I'm not listening to that with just a closet door between me and you getting your freak on."

"Are you saying you'd prefer to join in? I'm sure that could be arranged."

"I'm going to tell your 'uncle' you're harassing me." Cynthia informed him, pushing her hair out of her face with a rough hand. "Maybe he'll finally sympathize with me enough to leave the house? I wonder if he and Jenna would get on at all."

Damon didn't look impressed. "Suddenly, you want to set him up with your aunt?"

"She deserves better than to have her family hide such a big secrets as vampires and werewolves and witches and ghosts oh my, from her. Someone who won't just listen to what Elena wants. Or what I want, for that matter," Cynthia frowned a little. "Being a teenager again means not having a fully formed prefrontal cortex and a truly stupid amount of hormones. I thought I was rational the first time, and I think I'm rational now, but even if – and I dearly hope so – I can and do go back home, Jenna deserves better than what I saw happen. She can't get that while her whole family keeps her blind."

"I'm not so sure Zach's the one to give her this 'better' you're speaking of. Besides, he'd make her paranoid about me. And Stefan, but mostly me. We haven't gotten along in years." And he seemed proud and amused by that. "If you think she needs proof so much, I'd be happy to flash my fangs for you. You only need to ask."

Cynthia tapped his nose and shook her head. "Not outing you when she's on vervain. I guess I could point her to Caroline's mom, but I'd rather… I would rather she know I know. It'd be easier if we just had an unnecessary murderous vampire around that we could afford to stake."

"You said Anna would come with friends."

Very true, and she would love to use the creep that stalked Elena, but for all she knew, that vampire might not show for months. She wasn't sure of the timeline. (Even when she was actively interested in the show, Cynthia had binge watched it. That didn't give her a great grasp on what was supposed to be the time difference between episodes.) "Maybe I can use Jonathan Gilbert's journals and Caroline's research. Which reminds me, you're going to want to come out with me tonight. There's going to be quite the show."

Damon took one look at Cynthia's impish expression and gave her a slow smile. "Are you asking me out on a date? I've been waiting so long, I'd almost given up hope."

She gave him a long suffering sigh, "Yes, yes. I know; dinner comes first."

"I knew you were my favorite Gilbert."

Cynthia chose not to dignify that with a response. Stupid, attractive, incorrigible vampire.

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Caroline might not have wanted to make a scene about her new knowledge, but Cynthia had managed to convince her that she had to step up if she wanted any sort of confirmation. Which, let's face it, she did. Her mother's absence from her life even now that her father was gone would be easier to swallow if Caroline knew she was trying to protect her from a credible threat. Even if she didn't think _Stefan Salvatore_ was the type to go around murdering people, if he could be immortal or undead or whatever, so could other people. There were so many possibilities. Cynthia wouldn't be surprised if Caroline was much more accepting whenever Bonnie came out as a witch this go round, and that change would have nothing to do with being kept more in the loop. Even without Damon puppeting the girl, Elena and Bonnie were simply closer than Caroline and Bonnie were. Cynthia could almost be grateful that she had found herself here, because at least now Caroline had someone to call. Which was saying something, because Cynthia felt she might be doing fairly awful in the friend department overall.

Didn't saving her from being a blood bag count at all? Surely it did, even if Care never knew – and hopefully she didn't find out Damon read her as shallow, popular, but overall unnoticeable and disposable – Cynthia would. Caroline was proof she had not and was not only making things worse by being in the story. She'd changed things for the better, and her new friend just needed some practice in finding her confidence. Cynthia didn't think that Caroline had talked to Stefan privately since he'd shot her down in flames at the 'welcome back to school' party she had blissfully missed out on. Confronting him about something so personal, knowing it could go wrong, had to be tough.

It also wasn't easy for Caroline to get even semi alone time with Stefan. Cynthia had told her she'd be more than happy to bring her over to the boarding house if she wanted, but Caroline was sure she'd lose her nerve if she went over there. So Cynthia had dropped that and asked if the football players and cheer squad ever went out together as a group. They trained at the same time, and she knew that at least some of them were friends, so why not? (Plus, Cynthia might be able to swing getting Matt a free meal, because that boy was dealt an incredibly crappy hand in life. He and his sister both deserved to be emancipated and kept far away from their egg donor.)

Thankfully, that suggestion had worked. It was a spur of the moment thing, so they'd be staying close to town. If it became a tradition, Cynthia was going to be suggesting Wendy's and mysteriously either going along for the ride or leaving an order with Caroline or… Matt. Actually, ordering extra from Matt and giving him the money would probably work out.

Cynthia's arm still twinged a bit when Damon escorted her inside the Grill, just before the student athletes were set to arrive. If she hadn't been with a vampire, she might have worried they'd get kicked out because of the expected rush. Well, and if the server that stopped by their table hadn't been Vicki, who seemed to prefer her to Elena, at least. (Always nice to know someone did.)

"I guess we have you to thank for the large reservation someone made this afternoon," Vicki grinned at Cynthia. "The manager hopes they make it a tradition. He loves our football team, you know. Hired the quarterback who led us to state this week as a bartender."

Something about that was familiar, and not particularly in a good way, but Cynthia managed to smile back. "And why would you think that?" Damon cut in smoothly, watching Vicki predatorily, probably remembering fondly the time he'd ripped the girls throat out. Cynthia snuck her hand into his, feeling possessive suddenly. He did not get to feed on her then immediately lust after someone else's blood in front of her, that was just insulting, and she was going to have to tell him so. If she remembered.

"I'm not actually stupid, you know. I just prefer to be wasted. You would too if you had deadbeat, broke parents to live with," Vicki informed them bitterly. "Or rather, not actually with, because mom's never around, but whatever." There was an awkward pause before she muttered, mostly to herself, "I can't believe I'm said all that."

Cynthia could. Damon could make himself very, very appealing to talk to. He had mastered the caring gaze and open body language and turned it into a genuine art form; Damon didn't really need the ability to compel so long as the person he was talking to didn't hate his guts on principle. Even then… Cynthia was reasonably certain he had become best friends with Bonnie Bennett at some point, and they had one of the roughest starts in the history of rough starts in the Vampire Diaries.

"I know something about disappointing parents," Damon soothed her. "Don't worry about it." He beckoned her closer, whispered something (hopefully about a tip) in her ear, and promptly placed his order and waited for Cynthia to order hers.

She tried, really tried not to show any jealousy. His clear amusement indicated that Cynthia was failing, miserably. The arrogant prick actually patted her on the head and whispered that he had no intentions of bringing 'another live one' home, so calm your pretty heart or I won't be able to hear this show of yours.' Which did nothing, actually, to calm Cynthia's blood pressure levels, thanks. She tried deep breaths and put on a happy smile as the cheer and football students filed in. The arrival of a burger and cheese fries did loads to help make that smile real. Watching Caroline's eyes settle on hers and look relieved made Cynthia a little guilty she was viewing this upcoming confrontation as entertainment for herself and a gift of sorts for Damon, who so loved to see his younger brother squirm. Damon's presence was also back up in case things went really wrong. Bonnie's presence would be more of an equalizer when the girl found more of her feet in terms of magic. Without a terrifying awakening to being a witch with getting first her neck ripped and then losing her grams, Cynthia wasn't sure how soon that would be. What she did know was that Bonnie Bennett would be glorious, and it would be a real shame to get on her bad side.

"Hey Cyn!" The blonde was smiling at her and giving her puppy dog eyes. Cynthia gave her delicious warm food a forlorn look as her friend appeared at her elbow (please don't touch it). It wouldn't be nearly as yummy room temperature. "I'm impressed you got a seat here! What with so many parents saying they'd come too."

"I guess we beat the crowd," Damon smiled pleasantly, taking a slow, taunting bite of his own food. He was such a jerk, and not paying quite enough attention to social niceties given the way he was eyeing Caroline so appreciatively. "I don't believe we've ever gotten a formal introduction. I'm – "

"Cynthia's hot danger guy," Caroline filled in for him before he could say either his name or that he was Stefan's older brother. "You're the one who keeps stealing her when she's supposed to be hanging out with me," the girl sniffed a little bit.

"You have my utmost apologies," Damon told her, a little too earnest, but not so much anyone unfamiliar with him would notice. Caroline gave him an appraising look anyway, before turning back to Cynthia with a sudden smile. "Anyway! Mind if I steal you for a second? You don't? Thanks."

Once she had sufficiently been dragged away – to the bathroom, which felt surreal – Caroline frowned at her. "And why is your arm injured? Don't try to tell me it isn't, because I've been in gymnastics for more than long enough to know when someone is favoring a side."

"It's all the kinky sex I've not been having," Cynthia tried to say with a straight face. She was a bit distracted by turning on the water spigot and pushing the air hand dryer to attempt to make this a more private conversation. (Because yes, there were a lot of people around, but Damon at least knew where she had gone.)

"Cynthia." Caroline had her arms crossed, glaring at her meaningfully, and Cynthia's heart hurt for her. Why was she noticing a bruised arm when in the show no one had noticed her demeanor shift? Or the way she suddenly wore scarves and covered up so much more skin than normal?

Keeping her tone light, she smiled – tried to – to the blonde. "Caroline," she retorted with a playfulness she didn't quite feel. "Do you know what you're going to say?"

That got her a determined nod. "Short and quick like a bandaid. Then I just have to tell my mom I've figured out the town's dirty secret." Cynthia took a step forward and squeezed her shoulder. "I'll be there, if you need me. I actually wouldn't mind your help in telling Jenna too. You and I both know Stefan seems to care a lot about Elena, but I'm afraid that if she finds out… she won't do the responsible thing and tell an adult. That's not fair to Jenna. She's supposed to look out for us, and she doesn't even know everything she might need to protect us against."

Not knowing what could kill you did not save you. It just got you killed. Horribly.

"Of course," Caroline promised softly, then took a deep breath. "Okay. Here I go."

They walked out arm and arm, and Cynthia twirled her over to the booth Stefan was at. He seemed almost comfortable, which was remarkable given he was sitting with Matt and Tyler. Regular football practice and games together might make Tyler slightly less of a dick sooner than later. Wouldn't that be a feat?

"Stefan, can I speak to you for a moment?" Caroline asked authoratively, not an ounce of her worry visible. (Cynthia was so, so proud and amazed by her. All grown up and saving China.) And while, almost certainly, Stefan thought the discussion she was asking for would be entirely different, he'd given them both a compassionate smile before excusing himself from the booth.

Once again, Cynthia found herself being pulled to the side, although this time she didn't feel like she was a scolded child. The girl shot a glance over to the table she'd been sitting at with Damon and instantly regretted it. He was flirting with someone, and whoever it was had taken her chair. Sure, he was probably still listening. Maybe even he had simply intended to mask his interest in the conversation, but Cynthia didn't really know. Damon clearly didn't understand that being someone's BFF meant not always ignoring them for a piece of ass.

"What can I help you two with?" Stefan watched the two so earnestly, giving both of them his full attention, and Cynthia was not going to get emotional about this. Today was just hitting her hard with so much happening at once.

"You are the only person that hasn't confirmed they'll be coming to the fundraiser." Caroline scolded the vampire. "Even Elena has promised to come, and she's off the cheerleading team."

Stefan did bashful very well. He was also excellent at hiding his surprise as his expression flitted between the two girls. "I'm sorry, Caroline. A dear friend of mine decided to surprise me with a visit, and I don't know how long she'll be staying. I'm not sure I can make it."

"Don't be ridiculous. She can come too." Care didn't even blink. "Unless running water is actually a problem for you?"

His furrows had furrows, and the green eyed vampire stared a little harder at Caroline. "I don't think I'm following you," he said slowly. Cynthia gave Caroline a supportive squeeze. She wasn't sure if it was necessary or not, but she was here as support as well as entertainment.

"Please, Stefan, you are nowhere near as subtle as you think you are," she informed him. "I expect you there Thursday. And don't forget, it's supposed to be in your face sexy. We're raising money for the football team, since your coach has decided to eat the school budget by making them hire a new teacher." Caroline turned to walk away, guiding Cynthia with her, before pausing and looking back. "Oh, and Stefan? Be more careful around video cameras in the future, won't you? Particularly places that keep all their film on file."

Cynthia stayed with Caroline and Bonnie while Damon continued to chat up whoever it was, not entirely sure how she felt about any of it. Stefan was burning a hole in her back – she hadn't outed him! He had outed himself! – and Damon hadn't reacted at all. Sure, he was smiling, but he was also flirting with someone.

"Earth to Cynthia?" Bonnie's voice finally rung through to her, and she turned towards the two friends guiltily. "What? Sorry." Bonnie, bless her, was sympathetic at least. "You've had a rough day. First Grams and now Damon's being himself, huh?"

Cynthia was trying to be philosophical about all this. It wasn't working, but she was trying. "He does know I'm not a puppy to take around and get women to think he's so responsible for taking care of, right?"

"Again," Bonnie said patiently. "He's not that much older than you."

Caroline gave Cynthia a questioning look though. Boy would the Salvatores being actual brothers be fun to explain later.

"Yeah, I'm not… sorry, I'm going to go talk with him actually." They looked so supportive and proud of her; Cynthia just felt sick. Getting in Damon's face had worked for Elena, but she neither had Katherine's looks, nor wanted his affections for his sire to be transferred to her. But he hadn't killed Alaric? Much.

She didn't want a confrontation. Not really. She just grabbed a chair to pull up and did her best to ignore Damon's comment about almost asking for a doggy bag for her. Because that would imply he had been listening and was still continuing to give all of his attention to whoever this dirty blonde was. Cynthia tried to eat, to wait for a more polite way to jump in, but her food was unappealing. So she turned to staring at the woman instead, wondering if she would flinch. The girl knew Damon wouldn't.

Forty five seconds. No one knew how amusing that was to her. It took forty five seconds of intense staring for the woman to finally pay attention to someone other than Damon. Cynthia's conscience told her to be more compassionate, but all she wanted to do was ask Damon how he could possibly date someone young enough to be her big sister. Never mind that they hadn't gotten around to any movie marathons yet.

"Are you quite done?" Cynthia was fairly certain that both of them ignored the woman's excuses, but Damon kept up his gentlemanly façade until after she had left, then turned to face Cynthia with a snort. "What was that all about? I thought you said you knew I liked being an immortal stud."

"Doesn't mean I like seeing it."

"Then maybe you should have stayed with your friends."

"You had my food." Damnit, that wasn't the reason she'd come over. The monster in a person suit across from her chuckled, and as irrational as it was, Cynthia wanted to snap at him. Bonnie was right, she was having one hell of a day. Damon freaking knew it too. "Please tell me you're just flirting and being yourself, not actually scouting for 'fuck and feeds'."

Did he so much as look the slightest bit guilty? No. He rolled his eyes. "Someone's been listening too much to Stefan and his righteousness brigade."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Damon?" She hissed. "You think I'm judging you for drinking human blood? When I agreed to be your blood bag?"

Naturally, he was the one able to look and sound reasonable, because she had heat crawling up her ears and he looked as if he was explaining the world to a six year old. "Well it's certainly what this is starting to sound like. Look, I know you said you wanted my fangs to yourself. But it's like I told you. There's more than enough of me to go around."

Was there a way to say 'I'm not okay with you stripping people of their consent to choose who they sleep with by altering their minds for them' without saying the word rape? Compulsion in and of itself wasn't all that different from an Imperio, which was considered an Unforgivable in the Potterverse, but here it was a matter of course. (Then again, witches and wizards obliviated no maj to keep the secret. Why was she on this train of thought again? Because that was the only way Cynthia could think of to describe it.)

"Katherine isn't a good role model, Damon." And she was regretting those words as soon as they came out of her mouth, but Cynthia was committed now. "Just because she compelled Stefan to be okay with the fact she was a vampire, maybe even that it was okay to sleep with her while she actually convinced you. That doesn't mean people don't deserve to actually make that decision themselves. If they wouldn't want to sleep with you knowing you are going to feed on them, that's called _wrong_. What the hell was the point of me agreeing to feed you, if you're just going to find other people and strip their wills away?"

Her voice must have been raising, because there was a tight grip and a very dizzying breeze. Cynthia found herself pinned against the back wall of the Mystic Grill with a very dark Damon glowering at her.

"You have a terrible sense of timing, Miss Gilbert, talking in a public area like that. Or maybe very clever, but look, now we don't have any more witnesses." Cynthia's mouth had always tended to get her in trouble, but it didn't usually get her subtly threatened with death. "And a very skewed sense of morals. Killing people is okay, sleeping with them isn't?"

"You don't have to wet your dick in your food, Damon," she sneered back. "And screw you. I said nothing about consensual sex. I only asked if you were still mixing the two, despite our deal, or not. I came to you, not Stefan. Not Lexi. To you. And there's a big difference from having a problem with the person you used to be and who you choose to be _now_."

Damnation, she had said that she wasn't going to be a Stefan or an Elena, but it felt like that's what she was being regardless. Being party to rape was not okay, never okay in her book.

"I'm allowed to have lines I'm not okay with crossing, even if you having your humanity switch turned off means you don't care. I do."

His eyes were shining, and Cynthia did her best to glare him down, hoping like hell that she had enough of whatever kept Elena alive to survive this. Maybe she did, because even though he looked her over as if he'd never seen her before, Damon didn't do more than slightly bruise her wrist before stepping back.

"You're absolutely right. I. Don't. Care. "

Then her possibly ex best friend sped away, leaving Cynthia shaking against the wall for several minutes before she was able to get the courage to walk back inside as if nothing was wrong and pay the bill. She wasn't going to act scared; she was terrified but it did have to be said. Cynthia could recall plenty of people being pissed at Damon for sleeping around, but she couldn't remember a single time anyone had explained there was a problem beyond just drinking human blood or sleeping around. If he wanted to wipe people's memories that he'd fed from them, fine. Hell, she probably wouldn't care as much if he made them forget who he was or where he took them if all the man did was screw them. It was just that….

Well, it had all been said already, hadn't it?

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* * *

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Cynthia had ended up calling Lexi for a ride, which had felt humiliating. She wasn't going to go run to Stefan though and ask him to leave the little gathering she'd helped arrange. That would make things even worse than spending time with 'Stefan's conscience' did. (Provided Damon actually gave a damn about what she did right now.) While she would have been perfectly happy to just go hide at the Gilberts' until the storm passed and the blue eyed Casanova decided he wanted to be entertained by her again, Cynthia had left her things at the boarding house. She hadn't anticipated starting a fight with Damon.

He'd come around, she told herself. Probably. It was the definition of stupidity to isolate her best ally, and that was precisely what Cynthia had done.

A car horn blared, and she turned away from her self recriminations to see Lexi rolling down a window. "Hey stranger. Going my way?"

"Hey Lex. You're a life saver." Not literally, this time. Unless Damon was at home and in a mood. "I don't know about that," her possible new friend laughed in reply. This blonde either didn't know her as well as Caroline (fair), or she simply didn't want to press. Whatever the case, once Cynthia was in the passenger seat and buckled in, Lexi just turned the radio on as background noise.

Cynthia felt so stupidly grateful about that too. Even the stupid jingles were better than analyzing her decision making skills and what they said about her survivability in this dimension.

When they pulled in the Salvatores' drive, neither of them immediately got out of the car. Sitting in the quiet with Lexi felt safer, like she was in a bubble and walled off from all the drama and shenanigans that this town thrived on. In a moment or two, Cynthia figured that she might need an actual reason to be remaining in this relative privacy, so she reached for the first conversational topic that came to mind.

"Stef seems to think you coming here was a threat. Not at all what I was hoping for."

The vampire half groaned and half laughed, "That's our Stefan for you. Always preparing for the worst. He doesn't want to relax for even a day." She shook her head. "Guess I can't complain too much though. He was happy to see me. And Zach knows me well enough to be okay we stay on the property. Not thrilled, but… well. I think he's glad Stefan has some back up."

Cynthia stared up at the ceiling, studying the carpeting and wondering why there was carpet up there to begin with as she listened to Lexi. It was nice, relaxing even. "Your talk with Elena go okay?"

"You mean you didn't get all the dirty details from her?"

"Wasn't listening," the brunette admitted. "She was talking to Bonnie more than me. All I heard was that you slapped Damon."

There was a noncommital 'hm' from the other side of the car. "He deserved it. Believe me."

The girl replied to that with only a shrug before straightening her spine. "I should get my things before he comes home."

"Something wrong?"

Another shrug. "There's a fine line between brave, stupid, and too upset to tell the difference, you know?"

Damnit, Lexi was giving her a compassionate look now. "Cyn…."

If only she wasn't a slow runner by human standards, Cynthia might have bailed just to avoid what she thought would be a lecture. As it was, her shoulders hunched defensively. "I may have yelled at Damon." He wasn't even drunk. He'd been really good, by Damon standards anyway. "When I first met him, when all of this started, I guess… I didn't see any of this as being real. It was like a dream. So I told him I was his fangirl; I claimed him as my BFF. And somewhere along the way…" Cynthia trailed off for a moment, staring at her fingernails as if they held the answers to her troubles. "Somewhere along the way I forgot that just because I say he's my best friend, it doesn't mean he sees me as that. It doesn't even mean he trusts me."

"Not to be captain of the let down squad here, but trust isn't really something Damon does. He manipulates it very well, but he's not big on giving it."

She knew that. It just made her feel worse. Damon hadn't even answered her question when she started giving him that speech. Good freaking job, Cynthia.

Letting out a breath of her own, she nodded to Lexi then excused herself to go get her things. None of the Salvatores made themselves known when she was inside, which felt… strange. It was a huge place. Pity they couldn't actually offer boarding here, what with the vampires in the family having an all access pass, but the woods and the construction really were quite nice. Reacquiring her things was good. This constant ping ponging she was doing with Damon? That wasn't. First he went away doing… whatever it was he'd occupied himself with before the tomb. Now, she'd managed to drive him away herself.

He'd be back eventually, but who knew what mood he'd be in.

Shouldering her backpack, she gave an awkward smile to Stefan as she passed him at the door. (And an even more awkward smile to Elena as she wished them both a good night.) Stefan's voice made her stutter before she could reach Lexi's car. (Busted.)

"Actually, Elena, would you mind waiting inside? I'll be back in a moment, there was something I wanted to talk to Cyn about from English."

There was no point walking away now. (She was far too slow. And Elena would scold her for being so rude.) So Cynthia waited as her not twin pulled Stefan down for a kiss and reluctantly agreed to wait inside, so long as Stefan told her what was going on later.

Please, please don't let this conversation be something Elena used to dump him for not being open enough. She wasn't even trying to break the pair up! Neither was Damon to her knowledge though, and life seemed to find a way here.

Once the door had swung shut, Cynthia gestured ahead of her, keen on having space in case Elena decided to listen in. "How can I help you, Mr. Salvatore?"

"Listen…" Stefan picked his words carefully. "About the Grill, what Caroline said." When Care hadn't quite had the balls to straight up say 'I think you're undead', but frankly Cynthia couldn't blame her. "I remember," she told her possible future brother in law politely, waiting to see where he was going with this.

"She mentioned something about film?"

"Ohh," that made sense. How else could he cover his tracks better if he didn't know where to go? "Oh that. You were filmed in 1953 when Joseph was attacked." Cynthia almost asked if he was like his presumed namesake Giuseppe, but she promptly forced herself not to damage her relationship with both Salvatore brothers in one day.

Stefan looked pale now – paler anyway. "Why would she be looking into that in the first place?" Cynthia decided to politely ignore any possible accusation in his voice. "Gee, I don't know," she countered dryly. "It's not like her only remaining family in this town is the sheriff. The same sheriff who has dedicated part of her force to tracking down the source of these 'animal attacks'."

"I thought you'd stopped Damon."

So did she, but that wasn't the point.

"Right, Damon is absolutely the only human blood drinker that has ever, in the history of this place, passed through town. Oh wait…. No he isn't." Cynthia sighed, regretting this spike of temper as well. "Sorry, Stefan. You didn't deserve that." Probably. "Does it matter, when she clearly doesn't care?"

Clearly, he thought it did. What a shame.

 _Oh, what a night._

"I didn't tell her, Stefan. I just didn't lie to her either. We are going to tell her mom we know, and I'm planning on telling Aunt Jenna that there really are things that go bump in the night at the same time. You've already been invited in, so it shouldn't be a problem." And she had told him what felt like ages ago that she'd be telling her family anyway. "Caroline is a very dedicated person, you know. You shouldn't underestimate her."

With that, Cynthia quickly got back in the car, trusting Lexi's presence to discourage that particular topic from continuing. The ride back to her house was once again accompanied by the radio in the background, but this time Lexi was more talkative.

"I'll be honest. I'm not sure of what your plan is, and I don't think you even know, but I have a friend who could really use a Hail Mary with Elijah right now. Lee's working to get you two in touch." One small good thing to add to today's pile, at least.

"In that case," Cynthia turned and graced Lexi with a small smile that hurt her face, "I have to ask. How good are you at whittling stakes?"

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* * *

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 _Stupid fighting kids always trying to drive me up the wall! Lexi finally made her decision!  
_ _*dances* Fingers crossed now that Cynthia knows what she's doing. (She so doesn't.)_


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Here I was, worrying the Cynthia & Damon fight (I keep calling them Cynmon in my head, because I think I am way more punny than I actually am.) would have been irritating. Especially because Damon went MIA in the beginning, but it felt true to character, so I left it. I'm so glad it felt realistic and not forced to you guys.

To the **Guest** who said Elijah was their favorite character: Firstly, please give me a shout if Cynthia starts willingly letting herself be seen as second best to Elena and it is _not_ in order to manipulate someone. (You can see her thoughts, so it should be obvious, yeah?) Because I don't want that either, and I want to stop that slide if I somehow end on it. Secondly, I may not be 100% set on my finals just yet (plenty of ideas for initial pairings, but not finals), but Damon will not end up with a Petrova doppelganger. Finally, SOON. I pinkie swear. Elijah is a wonderful character, and he will be playing a major role in events. This is just also going to be a long ride, and I didn't want the story to feel _rushed_ and the lesser for it by forcing him in early.

 **Slytherson** : Thank you so much for all of your reviews and giving me feedback as well as ideas.~ It's obviously too late for Cynthia to try to play unappealing (and it wouldn't serve her greater agenda!) but I suppose you have a point. As for the idea of Stefan interfering with Cynthia and Damon's relationship, part of me finds that hilarious. Because you _know_ that Cynthia would be all joking like 'sure we can date Stef!' and not take it seriously. I'll definitely think on some future interactions for them. (Also I'm glad you noticed and appreciated that tidbit.)

 **Angelicsailor** and **AnimeFreak71777** , I love you and thank you for your consistent reviews. You make my day.

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Cynthia had not gotten much in the way of sleep that night. She would drift off, then find herself awake once more. The first time she awoke, it was because she was freezing because the comforter had drifted away from her (just a sheet was apparently not sufficient). The second, her eyes felt weirdly sore. Then the girl just couldn't really get comfortable enough to fall back asleep, no matter how she contorted her body.

It wouldn't have been so bad if she'd been able to focus on her homework. (So, so dull.) At least it would be pretty difficult for anyone to fail this portion of history. Tanner was basically passing people for showing up to class.

Sometimes, she wondered if he would want to live with such a different personality, but best not to dwell. Particularly in front of Elena, who was quite huffy this morning. Not her circus, not her monkeys. Cynthia focused on stuffing a muffin and orange juice down her throat. Since the girl hadn't been able to sleep, there was nothing keeping her from cooking. (Well, she'd only intended to make herself instant oatmeal originally, which had turned out horribly. The muffins fared much better.)

"Make sure y'all save a few for Jenna," Cynthia called out to her siblings as she started the coffee for them. "I'm gonna head in early."

"Why?" Jeremy's voice was still groggy from sleep. The boy hadn't even waited for the pot to finish brewing before he poured himself a cup. "You can't even go in before the bell. Which is still stupid, by the way."

Elena, who was far more patient than her cousin/brother, poured herself some coffee after him. "Not exactly something we can change."

"Dunno, maybe I can weasel my way in to check on my birdhouse for shop." The shortest (unfairly so, in her opinion) of the three found herself smiling just a little at the dialogue. "I just think some fresh air will do me some good. I'll see you later."

"Don't forget tonight is family night!" Jeremy's words rang out behind Cynthia as she closed the door. Her smile stuttered slightly when she found someone in their driveway lounging against a baby blue car, sunglasses already affixed despite the fact the sun was barely out. "Damon?"

"Were you expecting someone else?".

She hadn't been expecting anyone, actually, thanks for asking. Not after the row they'd had, and all things considered she wasn't certain she liked the surprise. "Listen, about last night. I – "

"I heard you." Damon cut her off, causing Cynthia to frown in confusion. Of course he had heard her, in the most literal of senses anyway. And she strongly doubted that he meant 'heard' in a 'You make a good point, and I shall acknowledge and abide by it willingly.' (Fantastic if so, but it seemed unreasonable.) Smirking behind his shades, the man finally elaborated. "With Lexi last night."

"Which part?" She shifted uncomfortably, "Because I swear, the stakes aren't meant for you. You know they aren't; we planned that together." Not that she thought that logic was a particular skill of his when emotions were high. He's been betrayed enough, after all. (But not by her. Shouldn't that count for something?)

Maybe it did. Maybe it didn't. After a moment's thought, Cynthia dumped the backpack onto the ground. If this was how she died, then it wasn't going to be feeling like a high schooler. It was an altogether unnecessary move, but at least it lightened the physical weight on her shoulders.

"You would say that, wouldn't you?"

It took Cynthia a few moments to realize the man looked far too entertained to actually be angry. He was a bit drunk, despite the early hour, but not actually mad. If Damon had been any closer, Cynthia would have been far too tempted to punch him. Instead, she grabbed a handle of her bag and swung it at him with a disgusted sound. "Because it's true, and you know it."

He caught the bag, because of course he did, before shaking his finger at her. "Temper temper, young Gilbert."

"What can I say? You draw out the best in me," she replied sweetly, still on edge, hesitating between meaning what she'd said the night before and apologizing to make things easier. Damon being in a good mood might be pleasant to deal with on a normal day. Right now it was aggravating. Because yes, she had gone off on him a little prematurely, but all he would have to do was _answer her question_. That he hadn't implied he was guilty, and the man had to be old enough to know that by now. Returning just because Lexi had given the green light on their Mikaelson plan did not mean or necessitate forgiveness on either of their parts.

Which was _horribly_ uncomfortable.

Damon shrugged it off, starting to walk in the complete opposite direction of school with her bag, so Cynthia had to chase after him. And chase. "Oi, wait up! I do need to actually go to school today, you know. There's a test."

"Should have thought of that before," he taunted lightly, continuing to walk away from her as he did. "Now I'm honor bound to rescue you. I can't subject a friend to the horrors of the public school system, after all." The girl stared at him for a long moment., a smile making its way across her face. "I don't suppose a please would help?"

The vampire stilled for all of three seconds before answering. "No, but I've never made a habit of turning away a woman on her knees."

One step forward, two decades back.

Finally able to catch up to him and – more importantly – her bag, Cynthia leaned up on her tiptoes to murmur in his ear, "I find that very easy to believe." She lowered her heels and started to lean forward, but Damon caught her hand before she could reclaim her belongings. "Oh, that reminds me," the girl continued after a second of staring at his hand. "Are you going to help out at the car wash? I've not been conscripted, but apparently only because Caroline doesn't approve of any of my bathing suits."

If you can't beat them, confuse them.

"Hmn, tempting. Semi clothed women and cars…."

"Children," Cynthia interrupted sternly. "Semi clothed children that some people will gawk at because of our cultural sexualization of the youth." Not to mention his brother would also be there, and theoretically at least, Bonnie might just learn to set water on fire. Maybe not, if Caroline never had any reason to bail? How interesting.

Damon's voice cut through her ruminations, "You know you're really not selling this very well. Here I was, thinking you were trying to make things up to me."

"Yes, Damon. I'm so sorry that I have any sort of a conscience."

He nodded enthusiastically. "I can only imagine how inconvenient that must make life for you."

Cynthia successfully stole her bag back this time. "You have no idea," she confided as she started to back up towards her earlier destination. Luckily (or unluckily?) for her, he declined to follow. "Catch you after school for arts and crafts and defacing of town property?"

The wicked bright catch of the vampire's smile haunted her the rest of the day.

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* * *

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Lee was the one to her up from school, quite literally. One moment, Cynthia had been sitting on the grass and twirling a weed absentmindedly, the next the air blurred and the ground fell away from her. By the time she could focus well enough to see, she couldn't really hazard a guess as to where she was. The dizziness and generic background of (gorgeous, colors starting to show variety here) foliage did not work well together to help Cynthia identify anything much.

In the wise words of Donna Noble, this was definitely Earth, but that was all she was certain of.

(Not true. She knew she hadn't left the continent or crossed any body of water larger than a few puddles and maybe a creek. It just didn't mean much, really.)

"Lexi's trusting you with her friend's life."

Please, please say he hasn't decided to interview after an agreement was already made, because that's somewhere between pathetic and stupid, surely. Cynthia opened her mouth, then closed it. What was there to say to something like that?

Her "Okay?" came out a little croakily after several deep breaths.

"It's suicide if you're attempting to kill him. For all of us." Lee moved closer and crouched down (so considerate) so the brunette could see his face. "Even more so than a false alarm."

The joys of misunderstandings, at least this one didn't involve a baseball bat.

"You know, there's this thing called a phone," Cynthia rubbed her forehead crossly. "Amazingly enough, you can't even be overheard while texting. You should _really try it_ some time. Ugh, of course I'm not trying to kill Elijah. The hecking heck would I do that for. I have information he wants; he has information I need. Don't be boring, Lee. Haven't we been over this?"

He had the grace to look slightly ashamed. Good. She'd missed her arts and craft session with Damon, according to his texts. It would be nice for someone to teach her, dang it. Maybe she'd have better luck with the new teacher. (If it was Alaric Saltzman. It had better be.)

"While I have you out here, mind explaining a little further what the plan actually is?"

She obliged, and even though it was time she'd have rather spent elsewhere, it did make sense. Lee was able to ask questions without her worrying about Stefan's presence, and that meant Cynthia was able to be slightly more forthcoming. He didn't push for what the information she had was, seeming to understand it wouldn't be as valuable that way, but Lee did make sure that he was actually content with their plan of action. (A good thing too, because some of his suggested contributions would be invaluable.)

Another stupid whirlwind later, and she was at home. Unfortunately, she arrived home in time for Elena to bully her into joining in on the car wash after all. While Cynthia didn't really have anything against spending time with her not twin and their circle of acquaintances and friends, it still chafed. Chafed to be doing anything that wasn't finding a nice pleasant city or other location to meet Elijah in and hope she could bargain well enough. If she'd had so much as an ounce of a clue where the man was before Rose and Trevor called him in the show…. Alas, what was done was done.

She tried not to stiffen when Damon showed up and made a show of ruffling her hair. As if Stefan needed more reasons to watch them, the only legal adult among them wasn't even pretending to help. Oh no, he'd brought his car by to get it washed instead. "You say I bring out the best in you, but I think you bring out the worst in me."

"Somehow," Elena interrupted them, "I don't think you have ever needed help with that." She had a dry towel tucked over her shoulder, a tiny bit of soap bubbles in her hair, and a mulish expression. Damon gave her a look as if he thought her attempt was adorable, in the same vein a six year old dressing up with a white coat and stethoscope might be. "Why, you say that as if you know me," he purred.

The doppelganger's expression of disgust was clear enough. "You're an ass, is what you are."

"I do, indeed, have a fabulous ass," Damon was practically preening under the teenager's attention. Cynthia painted soap fangs – or apostrophe marks, really her drawing skills weren't anything to rave about – on the '22 year old's' leather seat. (He hadn't abandoned or killed her for a morality lecture; this was nothing in comparison.)

"More working, less chatting." Caroline Forbes had descended onto the childish cat fight that was Elena and Damon, leaving Lexi to mind the cash box. The two had hit it off amazingly, which had surprised Cynthia. Caroline liked _her_ , but she hadn't been able to get out of physically washing cars. (Not after Elena had forced her into wearing a suit that had apparently gone unused the whole summer. She needed a hot shower after this.) Lexi had stopped by with Stefan, since he'd tried to use her to get out of this, and after a few minutes ended up sitting side by side with Caroline charming people into donating . Turning her attention away from the older vampire, Cyn noticed that Stefan was whispering something to his girlfriend, presumably trying to reassure her. Caroline just stared all of the involved parties down until her directive was followed.

Work they did, and about half an hour later there was an older gentleman was shocked by Stefan's appearance. Once again, Caroline descended like an angel from her place minding the money. "Excuse me," she cut in, more polite this time (because it was a paying customer? or because they were an adult?). The man hadn't been able to ask Stefan more than how he could be here. "I'm sure the resemblance is uncanny, but Stefan doesn't like to be reminded of his father."

Damon had recovered marvelously from being dressed down by a seventeen year old, and he had been bringing cold drinks out (to attractive girls, the asshole.) When Care intervened this time, he managed to look positively conciliatory. "I hate to admit it, but she's absolutely right," he confessed to the older looking gentleman as he lead the man away despite Stefan's stiff glare. "The last time our father saw Stefan, he thought him a demon. But come, let's have a drink, and then you can forget you ever saw either of us."

Cynthia politely said nothing about the compulsion happening in front of her. Elena would find out the truth soon enough; she had given the green eyed vampire more than enough warning. It was marvelous seeing Caroline in action though, protecting those she saw as friends. Cynthia made a solemn promise to herself that, if at all possible, she would make sure the blonde did not experience the same death she had in the original timeline of the show. Let Katherine find herself a different spare vampire to offer up for Niklaus' little ritual.

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* * *

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"What's all this about? Caroline insisted we had to come over here," Sheriff Liz Forbes was extremely tense, and already trying to dodge out of the social engagement when Damon had ushered her inside the Gilbert home. Jenna didn't seem to mind the extra help in the kitchen – her psychotic BFF had decided to make food tonight, which definitely smoothed the way – but she was equally confused by the sudden slew of guests.

Cynthia hopped up and held her hands out for their coats, which did take some verbal prompting, smiling as she did so. "That would be my doing. I know it's family night, Aunt Jenna, and that you have to be busy, ma'am," she nodded to Liz. "But Caroline and I discovered some things that are important to the whole family. ESPECIALLY YOU ELENA. GET DOWN HERE." She had shouted up the stairs for the last bit, then turned her polite smile back on.

"You can give us ten minutes, right Mom?" The bitter twist to Caroline's mouth faded as Damon greeted her and her sheriff mother charmingly. "Right, sure. Then I really should get going."

Damon turned a very innocent pleading expression to the sheriff at that, "Surely, you don't need to rush. I've so enjoyed getting to know Cynthia's family. I'd love to get to know another adult in town. Not that you aren't wonderful, Jenna, but I've been threatened with death should I disturb your studies." He winked at Cynthia after a shudder of 'fear'.

With the last of the Gilbert's finally downstairs, and sitting across from where Jeremy lounged with Vicki, Cynthia took a deep breath. "After the animal attacks started, Caroline was distraught." Brown eyes stared briefly at the sheriff. "Her mom was hardly ever around, more than usual even."

"Cynthia suggested I do some research. Your reaction didn't seem appropriate to the threat level," Caroline picked up the thread, moving slightly away from her mom to stand next to the petite girl who had helped her through so much lately. "So I did. A lot of it, and it may have me slightly reconsidering that career I was planning as a broadcast journalist, but at the same time…."

The brunette took over the reveal again, still grateful that her friend had agreed to do both talks at the same time. Even if Vicki looked far too out of it to appreciate the conversation. "At first, we hadn't thought much about what Vicki said when she was attacked. It sounded too impossible. Despite the stories I've heard about Jonathan Gilbert's writings."

"But it's the only thing that made sense," Caroline concluded. "And then we were able to confirm it."

Elena's patience broke first, "Please, please tell me you aren't staging a meeting to say you believe in vampires."

There was silence as Jeremy processed this, looking to his finally official girlfriend, then back to both sisters with a conflicted expression. Liz's worry lines had only deepened, and Jenna, bless her, started laughing. "Jonathan Gilbert was an excellent fiction writer, but that's all it was. Fiction. Vicki was attacked by an animal, she said so once she wasn't drugged out of her mind."

Finally, Damon inserted himself into the conversation again, "Actually, it's true. Stefan and I… our father was murdered by a vampire." He met the Sheriff's gaze for a time. "I wouldn't be surprised if that's one of the reasons our uncle is so religious about his vervain garden."

A few moments longer, and the elder woman deflated in front of everyone. "I would have preferred the children didn't know, but I suppose they would have found out when they were old enough."

Caroline's chin tilted up victoriously. "I'm glad I found out."

Elena had paled considerably, her attention flitting between her twin, her friend, and the dick that apparently called them friend. Cynthia helpfully poured all the adults a glass of wine. "I'm glad too. I know there's not _that_ much we know about vampires, other than the whole the sun burns them thing, and verbena – or vervain as everyone seems to prefer to call it – being able to protect people from it. But what Damon taught me," she pouted, "once Caroline and I were finally convinced enough to go to him for confirmation, "was that they required an invitation to come inside. Which means," she turned a stern frown to her family members, "no inviting anyone inside. I don't care if it's the postman or pizza delivery, a vampire cannot be uninvited. This isn't Buffy with a handy dandy invitation revoking spell, even if that would be so nice." The girl trailed off, looking a little dreamy as she contemplated how much better or worse life would have been had she been summarily shunted to that dimension. On the one hand, there vampires were truly demonic. On the other, there was Giles and an almost completely empty library to run amuck in for a while.

Genuinely demonic mayor was probably worse than the latent werewolf one, at least the latter was dangerous on a smaller scale than wanting to devour people.

"We understand why you didn't say anything, Mom," Caroline appealed, taking a step closer as if hoping for something. "But once I knew, once we knew, we had to tell you. We couldn't just pretend we didn't know something this huge. It's not a secret like dating an older man or sneaking out of the house, this is laws of reality big."

"Sweetie," Liz stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her daughter, murmuring how proud she was of her. Damon was talking softly to a distressed and confused Jenna, which left Cynthia to manage her siblings.

Oh the joys.

She tugged her not twin over to Jeremy, grateful Vicki was half asleep against the boy's arm right now.

"You really think Vicki was attacked by a vampire?" He was incredulous, but not entirely disbelieving. Elena scoffed a little, but Cynthia took the question seriously. "I'm sure you saw her wounds. What kind of an animal could attack out of nowhere to bite her quite so high up? Whatever it was, it didn't go for the legs or even a hand."

"It could've jumped."

She nodded to the point, "True, but the others, the ones who died earlier on this year? They were all attacked the same way, with no other damage done to them pre-mortem. Anything else was done after they died to attempt to cover up the kill. Vicki either got lucky, or whatever vampire attacked her had more control when it came to her."

Elena looked sick at the very thought, but Cynthia wasn't going to push her into connecting all the dots. She'd probably guess wrong unless carefully led, and she did not have the patience to do that herself. Let Stefan lead her on his own merry crusade for now.

"Look," the girl sighed as she faced the two Gilberts. "You might not believe me, but you can accept the Sheriff does – she already knew, even – and that Damon agrees too."

"No offense, Cyn, but I don't trust your friend as far as I can throw him," her twin scoffed. "If vampires were real and had killed his father, then I'm sure Stefan would have told me." Jeremy came to the rescue in almost no time. "He did only just start opening up to you, and you did say he was struggling to tell you anything. Maybe the vampire thing is why. He knew you wouldn't believe him."

That made a troubling amount of sense to the young doppelganger, going by her facial expressions. And it should, Cynthia thought, it was fairly close to the truth. She wasn't sure what would push Elena over into solving the mystery, but she did pull out her phone and text an update to Stefan, Lexi, and Lee of everyone who had been told the truth. She'd have to talk to Bonnie later and make sure she was getting her training. The budding witch's Grams had no need to die opening the tomb, but it made sense to jumpstart her learning all the same. Never count your basilisks before they're hatched, and all that.

"I.. I have to go," Elena turned away from the others, grabbing her coat and keys before leaving, presumably to have a probing conversation with the boyfriend. Cynthia wished him luck with it, even if she did imagine Stefan would have less luck dodging her accusations should the death of his father come up.

No regrets, because the times, they were a'changing.

.

* * *

.

"I knew you were a troublemaker," Lexi had brought over her liquor of choice, snack foods, and a movie. "Sorry about Lee earlier. He keeps forgetting that I'm not completely made of glass, and neither are my friends. And this must be your family? Lovely to meet you!"

The vampiric bombshell had shown up around fifteen minutes after Elena left, and just as the Forbes had finally departed themselves for their own dinner. Caroline had looked a tiny bit happier, hopeful that with this secret out of the way, maybe there was some salvaging that could be done for her relationship with at least one of her parents. (If it had occurred to her that she could easily talk to her dad as well, then she hadn't voiced it. Neither had Liz, a fact that Cynthia was very happy about. Bill Forbes was a force all his own, and she wasn't in a rush to prove her identity one way or another.)

Lexi had been invited in very quietly, and Cynthia introduced her to each of the Gilberts, the sleeping Vicki included, with a wave to indicate she already knew Damon. Then, Cynthia dropped herself in Damon's lap and proceeded to eat off his plate like she had at Bree's while Lexi ingratiated herself with Jenna.

As mad and drama filled as Mystic Falls was, she did rather like these moments. Moments when the companionship felt warm and genuine, and Cynthia felt she could take on the world and win. When she saw Jenna relaxing and having fun, so very alive now. Jeremy had to shake Vicki awake, Jenna had insisted the girl sleep at home. ('You aren't taking her to your room right in front of me, kid. I have my boundaries.') Little by little, the night passed and the guests left. Damon stayed the longest, helping put dishes away and continuing to answer any questions Jenna might have. Eventually, Jenna scooted him out the door as well with a smile and a wave, right before sending Cynthia to bed.

Yes, sometimes, things went unequivocally well.

For once, Cynthia's good mood lasted until morning and through the rest of the day. She'd noticed Elena being tense and grumpy, but her twin chose not to confide in her. So Cynthia didn't press, there was more than enough for her to worry about without bothering more trouble. Damon had snuck back in around 2 am for a snack, and after that she'd had to field all of the texts Lexi had left her in regards to Stefan and Elena fighting. (She'd warned him, and told Lexi so, but apparently he knew better than a blood bag. Silly boy.) At this point, Cynthia was far too sleepy to worry about more than keeping her scarf in place and making sure she had all her homework.

Oh, and breakfast, the most important meal of the day. She ignored the sounds of disgust from Jeremy and heated up spaghetti to eat. At least it had protein and less added sugars than his cereal. A fact that even when pointed out, the boy did not seem impressed by. His loss was her gain, so Cynthia shrugged it off.

She was catching a ride with Bonnie and Elena that morning, and had made coffee and poptarts as an offering. The young witch had taken one look at the twins and known something was up, and unlike Cynthia, she did push as soon as they were all in her car.

"Okay, Little Miss Raincloud, what's on your mind? And don't try to tell me nothing is bothering you, Elena. I've been your best friend since you were four."

The brunette in question frowned, "It's just something I was told last night. I'm not sure I even _believe_ it. It could just be a really elaborate prank, or my paranoia is breaking into full on hallucinations again."

Cynthia jerked her head towards the girl sharply enough she felt the whip of her seatbelt, "What do you mean, again? Do you suspect something?"

"No, it's just been a trick of the light. And it's to do with Stefan anyway, he wouldn't do anything like…. He's not like that."

Bonnie looked at Elena, who had claimed shotgun (by right of favoritism, Cynthia thought), then at Cynthia in the backseat through the rearview mirror. "Uh huh, I'm hearing a lot of words and none of them are an answer. Anyone going to clarify things for me? Or do I need to send out a search party?"

The shorter of the twins shrugged in the backseat. "Caroline and I have come to believe in vampires, and that they may be cause for caution. Elena is being very stubborn, and I'm not even sure why. We already know you're a badass spellcaster in the making, even if you decide to just stick to the Nature stuff. What's a little living death among friends?"

"You're hilarious," Elena deadpanned before taking a vicious bite out of a poptart. "Can we talk about something, anything, else?"

Seeing Bonnie's concerned look for the doppelganger, Cynthia turned her head to stare out her window. "Has your Grams remembered me yet, Bonnie?" The tension in the car palpably changed, Elena's anxiety being replaced by an interested confusion, and Bonnie's worried frown turning to a more reluctant apology. "I'm sorry, Cyn. I tried asking her about it, and all she gave me was gibberish. She was really happy with what you brought her though. If you wanted, I could probably bring you by again next week?"

Cynthia shook her head, her breath steaming ever so briefly against the cool of the window. "The weird thing is?" She hesitated, then pushed forward, "I don't think I ever remember meeting her before either. I've heard of her, certainly, but I just…. Maybe it isn't just the drink, you know?"

If anything, she seemed to have worried Bonnie more. That wasn't really her intention, but she also wanted to minimize any lies she told to the Bennett witches. They were both very strong and very stubborn. The girl had done them a favor (a bigger one than they knew, really), but she would rather stack the chips as high as possible in her favor in case of all eventualities.

"Why wouldn't you remember her?" Elena looked between her sister and her best friend, her frown overtaking her face. "She used to babysit us."

"Grams will probably say it's a spell." Bonnie sighed as she pulled into the school parking lot. "It always is with her."

"You are strong with the force, young padawan," Cynthia poked the girl's shoulder as the girl safely navigated her car into a parking space. "Feel it flow through you. There is life and death, and in between there is a force, a balance. And the balance is in you."

"I'm no Luke Skywalker."

Cynthia exchanged a look with Elena. After a moment, her not twin smiled back. "What about a Leia?" she asked slyly, before scanning the parking lot. One of these days, that stupid teacher was going to show up. It had better be soon, or she would go to North Carolina and drag him back herself. Maybe Abbie Bennett to if a miracle occurred. (At least with 'Ric she remembered his wife went to Duke.) She could probably go seek out the woman's former graduate student, whoever it was that shot at Elena anyway. Actually, shut up that was an amazing idea. Why was she only thinking of it now?

After her talk with Elijah, Cynthia promised herself. Lexi said it would be soon. Lee and Damon would accompany her while Lexi was going to drag Stefan somewhere to have fun.

(Party like it's 1865, Stefan! Your girlfriend may be slated for death, but eyyy.)

The only thing she could imagine celebrating was Halloween. Then again, Cynthia was fully in the camp of enjoying the holiday all October. Even if she had no idea when the month had passed. Stupid time, eating away at her when she was trying to get home.

More likely, Lexi was celebrating her friend Rosemarie soon being out of limbo after 500 years.

"Cyn? You okay?"

Shaken out of her thoughts, she offered the other two girls a smile. "Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I just got a little distracted."

Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.

.

* * *

.

Everyone reacted differently to the news of vampirism, and their reactions echoed throughout the coming days. Caroline's mom was resigned, regretful even. She hadn't wanted her daughter to know, thought of her as too young. If Caroline's life could not be potentially saved (at least improved!) by the knowledge, then perhaps Cynthia would have been more inclined to agree with the sheriff. Knowing that there were monsters in the dark capable of more than the depths of human depravity, if she'd had children, Cynthia wouldn't have wanted to tell them either.

Vicki acted as if the conversation had never happened. She had been too out to really hear things herself, and apparently she and Jeremy had ended up fighting over drug use and her choice of friends instead of covering reality bending things like the existence of vampires. (It was kind of refreshing, actually. Focus on the now was a valid perspective, one Cynthia was trying to channel more herself.)

It would have been more refreshing if Vicki's single mindedness wasn't putting her into an argument. While, yes, it would have been easier to keep her mouth shut when Vicki invited herself over to steal Elena's medication, easy wasn't right. (Yes, there are shades of grey, and yes it was Vick's life not hers, but every part of her so strongly disagreed. So she'd opened her mouth. Sue her.)

"You don't have to throw your life away, no matter what mistakes your parents left you with. Everyone has baggage." Should she have been harsh? No. But Vicki bitching about Jer's misplaced attempts on the phone right in front of her shouldn't have happened either.

"Oh please. You sound just like your brother." The older girl lowered the phone from her ear and scowled at Cynthia. "Just because you were born with a silver spoon shoved up your ass doesn't mean that you can talk to me about how the world works. You don't know the _first_ thing about what my life is like, Gilbert." That stung, as was intended.

She had absolutely lived a life where her parents were more a noose around her neck than any help. She'd fought through her sperm and egg donor's bullshit to put a life of her own together. Sure, Cynthia might not have succeeded at everything that she attempted, but that didn't take a jot away from what she had accomplished. (Only dimensional and interbody travel had done that.)

 _It's never so bad that you should just give up. Ever._ Feel the pain, you're entitled to it, but don't for one second let that pain control you without fighting back. Live the life that you want _._

"You're taking the easy way out, Donovan. Jeremy thinks that you are better than that." Cyn took a deep breath again. Insults were not the way to create positive and lasting changes. She didn't have the highest opinion of either Vicki Donovan or a Jeremy Gilbert, particularly not as they were now, but things could change. Maybe one or both would surprise her; do something worthwhile with their lives.

The dirty blonde spoke to her phone again, 'I'll talk to you later, Matty', and tried to get in the shorter girl's face. (She just wasn't intimidating after Damon. No offense, Vick.) "I don't need to be told what other people think of me."

"Sometimes, I think you do," she countered. "You have such a low opinion of yourself, that you're sabotaging your own life, your own future. Vicki, you're young, stubborn, and resilient. Unless I completely miss my guess, you are the person bringing in enough money to pay bills and keep the lights on at home. You work so hard to support Matt's dream, and you leave no optimism for yourself. So you get high, yeah?" She politely ignored the 'you think you're so smart' and 'you know nothing Jon Snow' variations that Vicki was giving her, because this was important. She had to at least say it once, had to _try_.

When Vicki had said her piece, Cynthia picked up the thread again with a single minded determination. "College admissions offices? They love success stories. You're managing a household at what? Seventeen? Eighteen? And you have been for how long? If you kick the hard drugs, you would be on your way to being a decent role model for other kids. And I think… I think you need a role model yourself. I have my Aunt Jenna, but…. Vicki, it's okay to make the person _you want to become_ your role model. You don't have to just follow your mom's footsteps. You can be better."

Hell, she already was really. The Donovan's mom couldn't stick around for her kids and seemed to leave them to raise themselves. Vicki's drug use could as easily be a cry for attention as escapism (although Cyn was fairly certain it was the latter.) "And don't say you can't afford college, because there's Pell, and I can virtually guarantee that you'll qualify. You just need to find a decent school that has a tuition lower than the life of your firstborn."

Jeremy's return home cut any further pep talk slash whatever that speech was short, so Cynthia beat a quick retreat into the kitchen for junk food. (That was one bonus to being a teenager again, anyway. No guilt when she gorged on pure fat or sugar.) She made a point to sing to herself as she left, blocking out her ability to hear whatever the two discussed.

"That was really sweet of you." Singing was no excuse for not seeing Jenna, but Cynthia eeped in surprise anyway when her aunt spoke up. Said aunt grinned at her before nodding to the room Jeremy and Vicki were still in. "Do you think it'll work?"

Her possible failure of a motivational speech? The girl shrugged. "Only if Vicki wants it to," she answered honestly. "Short of Matt and Jeremy both sitting down with her and asking her to clean up or go to rehab or something, I'm not even sure that she can get clean on her own. She doesn't just dabble in pot and alcohol. If she's developed a physiological dependence, then she might need suboxone or something."

"Suboxone?"

She missed whatever undercurrent was in Jenna's voice and shrugged. "I'm not a prescriber, but it's like in that 'Like a G6' parody, Analgesics?" Seeing a blank but passively listening expression, Cynthia sang one of the lines. "Overdose means we would have to give you naloxone. Give you lots of naloxone…." She should really, really shut up now. She liked Jenna; she didn't want to make herself seem suspicious in front of her. Instead, like a moron, Cynthia cleared her throat and kept trying to explain. "It's one of the ingredients in suboxone. There's a different treatment for coming of opiods at pain clinics, but I can't remember the real differences for the life of me. Methadone? Maybe?" Don't cram kids, it doesn't pay.

(Later, she would realize neither the song nor the parody had been produced yet and feel both incredibly lucky Jenna had not called her on that and incredibly foolish.)

"I didn't think you were all that interested in medicine," Jenna twirled her pen between her fingers, then set it down on top of her study materials. "Did you talk to your dad about it at all? Or is this one of the things you thought about when you turned your bedroom into your own personal Fortress of Solace?"

Cynthia gave her aunt a very confused look. As much as the superhero references were appreciated and stuff, comic book references did not need to be spoken into reality here. Whatever had landed her here in this body and this universe? Absolutely not a hero or villain origin story. (She refused, point blank.)

"Thought about and promptly discarded," she answered with force cheer. "I would hate to work in the medical profession. I love the science, but I loathe the jobs."

"You are aware that things might be different than what you read on the internet?" Jenna was far too entertained on her behalf. Cynthia was amused too though, more from references that didn't exist yet, but that was par for the course by now. She smiled briefly, "Maybe so, but I still think I want to pursue something else."

Remembering her original intentions, she poured herself a bowl of potato crisps and grabbed a soda before plopping herself down next to Jenna. "Are you okay? With everything, I mean?"

The older woman sighed in return, no longer pretending to study and turning her attention to her niece instead. "Sort of, but not really? I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything. I can tell that you and your friends believe, that even Caroline's mom thinks it's real, but… what proof do you have?"

"Other than the attacks, you mean?"

Jenna rested her head in her hands for a moment, then pushed her (enviable) strawberry blonde hair away from her eyes. "What proof that _I_ can see. Because first, the police rule them animal attacks, and now I'm supposed to believe they only said that because of a town conspiracy to keep vampirism a secret? And that it's not, for instance, a concerned mother going along with her daughter's flight of fantasy?"

Fair point, actually. Cynthia considered the question for a moment then answered very carefully. "I have been given to understand that the truth about vampires is a secret passed down through the founding families." And please, please hate John Gilbert enough that you won't think to call him up and find out. She was not prepared to face Elena's father, not after the scare Sheila had given her.

"Damon said that?" Not precisely. She couldn't even remember who revealed that tidbit in the show, but it was more than likely either Elizabeth Forbes or one of the Lockwoods, if it was anyone currently in town. "I know you don't want to believe it," Cynthia said gently. "Between the two of us, I don't think that vampires are all bad. They can be incredibly selfish sometimes, but they can also be incredibly compassionate beings. I'd love to study them a bit if I could. Get a bit of blood and maybe a scanning electron microscope…. See if I can't witness magic in action."

"Right, you definitely don't take after your father _at all_ ," Jenna drawled. (She had no idea how right or how wrong she was.) "I doubt it would work," was Cynthia lame response. Fidgeting, she grabbed the remote and turned on the set, then stuffed her face so she couldn't keep babbling inanely.

["BREAKING NEWS"] a beautiful Korean woman intoned, staring straight at the camera while seated in a blue hued room that Cynthia assumed was the main news set. ["Local vandals appear to have recently broken in to the WPKW9's station archive. Our very own Logan Fell is on the scene. What have you got for us, Logan?"]

["Officials believe that someone or more likely a group of someone's made their way here to the news station sometime last night. No one's sure how they got past security, or what their goal was."]

["Was anything damaged or taken?"]

["That's the thing, Youn. The authorities have been able to prove that someone watched some of the film stored here, but nothing has come up as missing. No word yet on any suspects or any possible motive, although I imagine anyone with a grudge against WPKW9 may be getting a friendly visit from our police."]

The woman laughed, and the camera panned completely away from Logan and back to the reporter she could now see was named Youn Pak. Cynthia missed anything else being discussed because Jenna suddenly muted the TV. (Sure, she was trying to derail the woman's possible suspicions after her babble, but what was this all about!?)

"A secret kept amongst the founding families, you said," Jenna spoke slowly. "So Logan could prove your little theory, or blow it out of the water, right?"

Cynthia made a face just on principle. "You're going to trust the word of Logan Scumfell over that of one of your favorite niece's?" She clasped a hand to her chest for dramatics, then reminded herself that Logan may actually be better for her continued existence than John, and let it fall with a shrug. "I _guess_ so. How would you ask him though? 'Hi Logan'," she pitched her voice up into a falsetto, "'I hope you fall off a cliff, but before you do, tell me. Do vampires really walk among us?'"

Jenna stole her chip bowl for that, which was probably fair.

"I may be meeting him at the Grill to allow him to buy me curly fries and grovel." The teen straightened a little at that, giving her aunt a very serious expression. "Groveling is fine, but please, please tell me you won't take him back. That you won't even consider taking back someone who hurt you enough to run you out of town. C'mon Aunt Jenna, you deserve better than that."

"I hear you, kiddo." No, no she really didn't. Cynthia could tell by her amused expression, and it left the girl feeling extremely disgruntled. "Once a cheater, always a cheater. Once a complete waste of space who breaks your hurt, _always_ one. He's your ex for a **reason**."

Jenna's eyebrows rose considerably at her niece's vitriol, and Cynthia blushed as she realized she'd yelled loudly enough for Jeremy to hear her, going by his deciding to stick his head in the room anyway. "Sorry," she lowered her voice dramatically. "I got carried away."

She was very passionate about Jenna having a long life full of happiness not someone who might only want to use her.

"If it makes you feel better to ask Logan, then ask him. Just… don't expect me to like him. I still think you deserve better. And I still want to know how you plan to bring up vampires."

Her aunt gave her a slow grin. "Well, I did say I would torture him. Maybe I'll bring you along and tell him he isn't even worth scolding myself."

She really seemed to excel at getting herself into the worst sort of pickles. Being a third wheel on a not date sounded worse than visiting the dentist back home, because at least then she had a very good relationship with her dental hygienist. This was pure punishment.

"What time is this little torture session of yours, Aunt Jenna?"

Looking far too pleased with herself, Jenna turned the TV to a music channel and set the volume to what she considered an acceptable level. "Four pm tomorrow. If you channel your inner mean girl well enough, you might get something to eat yourself."

Ah, well that did add a twist to her plans. Cynthia nodded slowly, "I'll try to be there. I promise. But I might run a little late. Lexi and Lee are closing on their house tomorrow morning, and Lex had asked for my help with arranging a few things."

"I didn't realize they were old enough to be getting a house," Jenna whistled. "Are they moving in town?"

She shook her head a little, then grinned. "They're old enough to be married, Aunt Jenna," she teased. "And no, they will be a few hours out. They've just been on holiday. It's been a while since Lexi has known reliably where to find Stefan. Damon tries, but you know how hard it is to become someone's guardian in your early 20s. And he got stuck with his _little brother_ , talk about authority issues."

Eyes dancing, her aunt conceded she could imagine how that might have played out. "You wouldn't happen to be planning to skip school again, would you?"

Cynthia wore her most innocent face. "There aren't any quizzes or tests, and all of my assignments have been turned in?" That shouldn't be a question, but she was nervous that her aunt would suddenly start caring about her charge's frequent truancy. She shouldn't have worried really; Jenna was a college student with too much stress on her plate and perfectly undeYrstood balancing responsibilities. "See that you keep it up, and only because nobody should have to move without help."

"Thank you so much!" Cynthia hugged the older woman exuberantly. "You're a rock star, Aunt Jenna! I'll go call Lexi and let her know!" Skipping out of the room with a smile still on her face, she hoped desperately that everything went according to plan tomorrow.

.

* * *

.

 _The Gilbert Family Business, aka Founding Families' secret knowledge of vampires has been revealed as Cynthia promised Stefan ages ago. And she may have started getting a bit too invested with her not family._

 _Also, I just want to thank everyone who reviews again, because you've encouraged me to write a lot faster than I expected, honestly, and it's wonderful. The next chapter is already written, le gasp! It will be a little shorter than my average, but I have a surprise that I hope makes up for it.~_


	12. Chapter 12

Elijah very rarely paid attention to anyone attempting to call or summon him for any reason. While he liked to think that he had some control over his personal monster, dealing with desperate people who had nothing to offer him was simply not what he chose to spend his days on. Worse were the ones who thought they were somehow clever enough to outwit him. Some days, they would be entertaining. But the vast majority of experience saw them as nothing but trouble.

He had one task worth pursuing, and that was avenging his family. Their bodies might still live, but they had been cast away, scattered into the oceans. Elijah could spend lifetimes searching for them and still never succeed. Klaus had taken their promise of always and forever and spat it out, betraying them all as he continued to run across the world from their father.

Revenge might not be the best thing to live for, but it saw Elijah up in the morning. It had connected him to the warlock Jonas Martin and his son, who wanted to save their daughter and sister respectively from his brother's sphere of influence. He could not imagine why his brother had seduced the girl, what the fool thought he might accomplish when it was his own fault the doppleganger line was finished. Frankly, he no longer cared. The days he spent his time traipsing about cleaning after Niklaus had ended when he saw fit to destroy their family permanently. Their father had been trying for centuries, but it was Niklaus who had succeeded in the effort. Greta was a potential weakness in his brother's retinue that he was more than happy to exploit, for her family would do anything to bring her home.

The fact that he frequently ignored anyone he deemed unworthy of his time did not leave the man unaware when someone started tugging at his known aliases and contacts. There had been a few half hearted attempts earlier in the week from whomever the motivated party was that Elijah had ignored, as he had told Jonas they were not his priority. Whoever was pursuing him had finally netted his interest, however, when he received a message regarding Rosemarie.

The girl and that insufferable, disloyal worm she kept as a pet by her side had been running from his justice for over five centuries. He had no doubt that she could have continued to evade him for longer still. That she had been emboldened enough to call upon the very person who was hunting her down, that interested Elijah. Her crime had been assisting Katerina Petrova in escaping back in 1492. While Elijah had no doubt that Rosemarie had brokered no desire of her own to betray him or his brother, it was still her blood that allowed Katerina to transition into a vampire and destroy Klaus' chance of breaking his curse. Katerina's life extension had supposedly dried up in 1864, burned alive by the townsfolk in a church in an event that would later be covered up with an excuse about the American civil war. Elijah had his own suspicions as to what might have happened. No proof as yet, true, but while even the dead body of Katerina might get his brother's attention, Elijah had high hopes that Rosemarie had somehow discovered her alive. What else could she possibly believe was worth bartering with, after all, but a living testimony that she had the chance again to let Katerina go and had chosen loyalty to him and his brother the second time around. Proof that she had learned from her mistakes that he might just be willing to grant her a pardon for, particularly given his own motivations regarding said doppelganger.

The location he was asked to meet at was in the low country, disgustingly humid but drenched in both history and people. The sun had been up for a few hours, so the streets were crowded with a motley collection of humanity. The well dressed businessmen and women that he blended in with perfectly, some hooked to their mobile phones and others clinging to paper cups of tea and coffee like lifelines. There were the mothers taking infants – screaming or peaceful – out in their strollers. Children darted in and out of the side roads, laughing, playing sidewalk games, hastily retrieving posters, and talking each other's ears off as they waited for their school bus. Young adults dressed with little care for their appearance, with their baggy pants and loose shirts, that if he were to spare any thought for would guess to be college students, just trying to make it through one day at a time.

His own steps were careful, measured. There was no reason to rush, his audience waited on his whim, and it did them good to remember. Elijah was indulging in his own curiousity with this trip, there was no denying that, as such he fully intended to savour the moment. If he were to truly find a way to lure Niklaus out, then perhaps he could obtain some measure of personal peace, some way to live with himself with the perpetual knowledge that he would from then on be always alone in the way that mattered most.

Back straight, shoulders square, he walked up the driveway to the address his contact had passed on. There was a small disturbance in the front lawn, going by the weeds surrounding the muddy hole, faded and chipped paint on the shutters, and the battered address numbers, he would guess a foreclosure sign. The house was in reasonable condition overall, remarkably so to have come into the possession of vampires. He neatly stepped around the wood rot on the front porch and knocked at the door.

As expected, he was not left waiting long. The hurried footsteps he could here echoing through the house, crossing carpet and hardwood before the door opened turned out to belong to a young woman he had never met before. She stood barely a head above his shoulders, wearing a dull silver scarf, blue button up shirt and a blue grey pencil skirt. Her hair was tied back into a bun, and he almost thought perhaps she had been intending to leave for work, just a poorly timed visitor, if it weren't for both the pencil tucked curiously behind her ear and the tentative smile she gave him. There was something close to recognition in her eyes, closer still to nervousness, to the fear his presence generated amongst anyone with good sense. He felt something close to recognition himself. She was such a tiny thing, and she looked up at him as if she thought he could hang the moon. It was a disquieting amount of faith to see in a stranger.

The girl's heart was racing like a rabbit's, but as the door swung open fully, he found himself staring into her upturned eyes, the color of rich cognac much like her hair, although there were hints of grey or green around the very edge of her irises. She tugged at his memories of another young woman with an oval face and sweeping eyelashes, but they were not the same. Katerina was merely on his mind because of his hopes for this meeting. There was no need to read anything into any passing similarities when so many of the features he had been staring at were incredibly common.

Whatever had landed this young woman into a nest of vampires and appearing so cheerful to great a stranger, his priorities lay elsewhere. A human guard dog to prevent unwelcome guests was a well established trick. He could not fathom why it was deemed necessary in this instance, but it hardly mattered.

"You have been expected, Lord Elijah," The young woman still looked terribly pleased to see him, and he wondered again what made her look so happy, so _hopeful_. She beamed up to him, hesitating after a moment before turning what he recognised as a pleading expression his way. "Or does no one call you that anymore?"

"Not for centuries." Mild, but it would not do well for her to let him become impatient. Human and not responsible for his own mission or not. Fortunately for her, and moreso for his mood, she came to her senses shortly. "Please come in. There should be a clear walk way for you, all of the boxes are packed upstairs for now."

The human playing porter made some sense, but where was Rosemarie? Or had she fled and left the girl behind, incredibly sloppy if so. It would be beyond irritating to be left to clean up after someone with a death sentence over their heads, especially since he knew his brother would find it a hilarious thing to rub in for decades. It would also leave him empty handed, which would be a far more bitter pill to swallow. Yet he could not countenance such a possibility. Trevor fleeing from his fate, certainly, but Rose would not have reached out to him if she had not fully believed that she had a strong enough leverage to save herself from a continuous life on the run. In this, at least, he felt confident that she would not fail him again.

He followed the human girl into the kitchen, wrong footed and not enjoying the sensation in the least. There was more to this scenario than met the eye; only good manners and the fact she could be oblivious kept him from extracting the knowledge he wanted from her right now. The young woman leaned up on her toes to reach two dessert plates and carefully placed freshly baked fudge on both of them before passing one to him with an incredibly pleased expression on her face. "They were afraid you wouldn't come," she confided to him, the first assurance there were others involved, presumably Rose and Trevor. "But I was sure you would. Could I offer you a drink?"

The sheer careless stupidity of that question made him re-evaluate his estimate of her age. She seemed so earnest as she fetched a bottle of whiskey from under the counter at 9:03 in the morning and set it and a glass on top of an island. Her choice of outfit hid most of her skin, too much to not hint at their being a reason, given the local weather. A dark ripple of amusement had him wondering if she actually had meant to offer herself as well with the way she cradled the bottle in her wrist for a few moments, and that same amusement that stayed his hand. Perhaps the girl had been left behind as an emissary from a vampire that would think nothing of having a human offer their lives up carelessly, perhaps she was merely young and foolish.

"If Rose is not here, perhaps you can tell me what gave her the courage to call?"

This time, the human girl flinched, and he waited expectantly for her answer.

"There's a gift for you," she told him softly. "Although I should warn you, that my friends have others in their possession. They will be handed to you in the event that you and I both walk out of this house alive."

 _They_ will be handed. So not Katerina, he had expected as much given the utter silence in the rest of the house, but he had hoped otherwise. Elijah was left with more questions now, namely why a human would be left to negotiate on a vampire's behalf, for that certainly seemed to be the case. While it was true that he could just as easily compel a vampire as he could a human, a vampire had numerous advantages when dealing with him, from the change in heartbeat to the enhanced speed and strength that could potentially allow for an escape. A human that crossed him would simply be dead. "You make your gift sound remarkably like a threat."

"It's not intended that way; I promise. Think of it more as… as your current wish fulfillment? Please," she gestured to the island in front of him. The girl had moved to stand on the opposite side from him, giving herself a slight illusion of protection from him, an illusion he saw no reason to dispell. "Check the left drawer."

Slowly, he took his eyes off of the girl and directed his attention to the drawer as directed. In this instance, a human did make more sense to use, she couldn't move quickly enough to prove even a passing threat, for all that she claimed her 'friends' were watching the house. Drawing it open, he stared intently at three intricately carved wooden stakes. All of them were pale with metallic veins running through them that he recognised instantly despite the impossibility. They were white oak, and there was one for each living Original vampire left. And there were _more of them_.

The girl's phrasing of 'handed' instead of a more ambiguous 'given' made more sense now.

"Do you agree these are worth the pardon and freedom of Rosemarie? Her only crime was loyalty to her friend."

There had never been a chance that he would leave without these stakes in his possession, and he had already been inclined to forgive Rose, should she prove useful to him. She had, although not in the way that he had been expecting. And he did, terribly, want to rip the head off of the vampire that had cost him and his family so much. Sadly, he wasn't here.

Nothing was actually stopping Elijah from taking those stakes and leaving now, beyond the knowledge that the woman's 'friends' supposedly had more in their possession. The existence of _any_ beyond the one his father possessed should have been impossible, so the question became did he believe her, and did he really care at this point.

"You are only negotiating for her?" She had been nibbling at the fudge but turned immediately back towards him as soon as he spoke. He watched the pencil fall off her ear and her face crumple into a frown. "I owe Rose a favor for helping me reach you," she explained earnestly. "I… I had hoped you would be inclined to agree on her behalf, and to perhaps hear me out in a request of my own."

She had made no such promises for Trevor, he surmised. Or perhaps, she realised it might well take an act of god for him to forgive the man.

"Should these 'friends' of yours give me possession of all the white oak that you have, not just the stakes you saw fit to carve from it, then yes. Rosemarie can have her freedom. As to the second matter, why?"

It was a simple question, and he asked it rather indulgently. He might not have been interested in any of the food or drink the little human hostess had offered, but if she had played a more active role in the discovery and gifting of these stakes as it sounded, then he was certainly curious as to why. Younger vampires did not seem to believe that his family were more than Grimm fairy tales. How, why, and what would possess a human to learn of them and then seek him out so doggedly? To present him with weapons that could end his life with all the detachment he expected from an accountant during tax season.

The girl placed her dessert fork down carefully across the plate and met his eyes, just as she had when she first opened the door. "A second gift, freely given. When I first tried to convince a contact to reach out to you," her voice was shaking, he noted now. "I told them that family is always and forever. Your entire family, save for Henrik, can be resurrected. For better or ill."

Try as he might, Elijah did not hear the tell of a lie. It was a foolish, impossible thing, even moreso than the existence of the white oak stakes. The fact that he wanted it to be true just made it less believable. There was the question of how she even knew about Henrik, however. Another mystery that he did not like lingering. The white oak, the precise number of his living family members, the identity of his youngest brother. He had not pegged her as a witch to know the future or the past so intimately, if she had been it would have been far easier to get his attention. Witches that were willing to go against nature and serve at the beck and call of vampires were by no means common, even if her powers were minute he might have had a use for her.

It would not have been a sure path to capture his attention; not when he already had witches whose motivations he was sure of. That, Elijah could admit to himself.

He circled the island, crossing the distance between the two of them, no longer in the mood for whatever games the girl was playing. She had his attention, as foolish of a desire as that might be.

"And how, could you possibly know that?"

Why say Henrik could not be saved, but imply that his mother could be? Or did she not know that his mother was dead, murdered at his father's hand? What the little remembrancer knew and did not would matter far more when he was satisfied with the source of her intelligence. It would take no effort to press just a little harder and compel the truth from the woman's lips if he needed to do so. Then and only then, Elijah would allow himself to wonder what she thought she might gain from telling him.

"Because this isn't my world, my _universe_. I want to be able to go home and live with my loved ones, with _my family_. In return, I happen to be both willing and able to reunite you with the siblings that you seek and your mother's body as well." Giving up all pretense of eating, the girl – whose name he would need to ask for at some point – stared blankly at the palms of her hands. "I've seen what could happen here, in your world. Impetuousness and short sighted decisions lead to too much destruction and unnecessary loss. I can help you. And you may be the only one who can truly help me."

Elijah turned away from her, leaving the kitchen for the sole sofa in the living room. After he was seated comfortably, he held up his right hand in a casual gesture, "Continue."

.

* * *

.

He left the picturesque city of Charleston with a good deal more cheer than he had entered it. Elijah did not regret leaving behind any of the salt and grit the wind seemed so intent on coating his lungs with, naturally. He preferred the metal and glass of his own city over memories of a bygone age; memories that had become tainted with betrayal in his mind until today's revelations.

Reaching into his inner jacket pocket, his fingers brushed across cold wood. In another time, another place, just this morning or the day before, he would not have hesitated to consider possessing white oak stakes to be a boon. Now, he was far more inclined to ensure all of the impossible remnants of that tree burnt once again. He would too, of that the man had no doubts, possibly after he used one to shock some sense back into Niklaus. He had trusted him, believed the worst of his brother, but his brother had been the one to choose to tell such a horrible lie in the first place. For that, there would be consequences.

Elijah let himself in to the Martin's apartment; Jonas could hardly begrudge the intrusion while he was at work. He would update the warlock when he returned, until that time, Elijah perused the wall of grimoires that had been mounted in the family living space. The girl was in an impossible situation. Impossible and unbelievable, and yet she would have no reason to lie, no reason to make the bargain she had if her situation was any less peculiar.

At the very least, she believed it to be true.

He spent the afternoon surrounded by dust and fading ink, descriptions of spells in all manner of tongues from Latin to German, French to Old English. His brother was fond enough of his little trick, using the darker magics to possess the unwitting. There had never been any risk of the person he was possessing turning the tables on him and claiming control of his body instead; how could there be?

"Elijah?" Another book was cast aside, and he heard the door swing closed and footsteps approach. "What brings you by?" He heard the unspoken addendum of, 'Usually you knock.'

"I met a charming young woman today," he answered pleasantly. "Who believes that she is capable of doing the impossible. I find myself inclined to let her try."

Jonas gathered up several of the books that had been strewn across the coffee table, worry creasing his forehead. "And this impossible thing involves raiding the more obscure selections of my library?"

"You dislike being interrupted at work." As he understood it, working as a doctor required focus on one's patients, not serving as his personal research assistant. Jonas' countenance remained rather grim, unsatisfied by the vampire's response. "Cheer up, Dr. Martin. If she proves to be correct, then we will both have what we want soon."

"And if she doesn't?"

He turned to face the doctor and warlock with a bland expression, "Then we go back to our original plan. I _will_ find my brother, one way or another. And you will have your daughter." But he doubted there would be any pressing need to backtrack. His own mission became the more delicate for needing to lure Niklaus into revealing where he had stashed away their family, but the threat of a white oak stake would not be one even his hybrid brother could ignore. "The woman I spoke with today believes she has found a human doppelganger."

Carefully returning a grimoire to its original place in the collection, Elijah did not miss the recognition and incredulity in the good doctor's eyes. The man's working theory was that his daughter was one of many witches who had been stolen over the generations to break the Sun and Moon curse. A curse he was now one of the few to know was possible to break in the intended, traditional manner.

"I shall, of course, be verifying this myself. You and your son are welcome to accompany me." All things considered, it was preferable to not leave them as loose ends, and their magical assistance would still be useful. "On an unrelated note, have you ever heard of travel between different worlds?"

"Why? You want to send Klaus to Mars?" Both men turned as Luka walked through the door, slinging his school bag to a chair. Elijah was far more composed than the father, but then he was unsurprised by the boy's arrival. "I suppose that's one way to take him out of the equation."

"No." No one would be harming his brother, however idiotic he insisted on being, not unless the girl was wrong. Should that be the case, he was well prepared already. "That will not be necessary. The young woman I spoke with today," the vampire waited patiently as the elder Martin hushed his son, "mentioned travel between alternate dimensions. I am aware of astral travel, of course, but it sounded as if she referred to a different matter entirely."

"Rumour has it that the Gemini Coven created physical prison worlds of a sort to isolate certain dangerous individuals of their line, but I'm afraid I don't know much about it. It's true there are other dimensions, but the vast majority can only be crossed by the dead. Did you want us to look into it?"

Elijah shook his head. "A passing interest, nothing more."He straightened his jacket absentmindedly. "I'll contact you once I have verified the doppelganger? I imagine it will be best for us to arrive separately. You will face much less suspicion that way from anyone who would disagree with our plans."

He waited just long enough for Jonas to confirm his agreement before breezing out the apartment door.

.

* * *

.

His next stop was the office of an older gentleman whose acquaintance he had mad some years before. The room was a mixture of muted greens, cascading from the rich curtains that framed an old, foggy window and resting in the upholstery of the wingback chairs , and rich browns of the wooden panelling and the curving, practical secretary desk. The curtains were drawn back to allow the gentleman's ever growing collection of plants maximum access to the natural light that did stream into the room. This year, Hawkins' normal collection of rabbit's foot fern and ivy were accompanied by calathea, with a single struggling burst of yellow to show for its efforts.

"I hope you were not waiting too long, Mr. Smith."

Turning, Elijah greeted Hawkins pleasantly, assuring the man that he had not been in any way inconvenienced. Even if he had been, the vampire would not have been so gauche as to say so when the man in front of him was so visibly overworked. The man's eyes were heavily shadowed, and stubble softened a strong jaw, looking out of place on the normally clean shaven man. Ever professional, one of the many qualities Elijah appreciated about him, Hawkins wasted no time in lifting the topmost folder from a pile and passing it over.

A quick glance showed copies of the birth certificates for a Cynthia and an Elena Gilbert, the rest he could peruse at his own leisure. "Thank you, Hawkins. You have been a great deal of help, as always."

"It's the least I can do." The man's lips twisted in a smile. "I couldn't find as much as I would have liked."

If he knew a child he was raising was the primary sacrifice for a curse two species desperately wanted broken, Elijah imagined he would have kept the girl well hidden as well. In this instance, however, it was a rather futile goal.

"Did you locate the address I requested?" Hawkins' shoulders jerked back, an affronted scowl briefly crossing his face, at the mere suggestion he had failed such a crucial detail. Elijah clapped his shoulder reassuringly, "Then you have given me everything I truly need. Any other details, I will simply have to find out myself."

He watched as the human male's body posture slowly relaxed. "Very good then, sir."

Very good indeed.

The only information he really required on the doppelganger in order to lure his brother was her hometown, and that would have been self evident, even without her birth certificate. A town like Mystic Falls, where the majority of the population spent their whole lives in ancestral homes, it would have been no mystery to figure out. Particularly not when the man who raised her was a local doctor.

.

* * *

.

" _How do you propose to not only find my extremely reclusive brother, but also convince him to return to me our family?" His tone remained deceptively mild as he scrutinized the young woman, hardly more than a child by modern standards, standing in front of him. For whatever reason, the room was bare of other furniture, so she had little in the way of choice on that account. "Or did you expect me to be content with them remaining in boxes for the rest of my immortal life? To trust your word that they still live with no proof to the contrary?"_

" _Daggers are very easily removed, Elijah. All you need is to find Niklaus in the first place. Once that is accomplished..." The girl's brows had knit together, visibly debating her answer. "I trust in your ability to secure your brother's agreement. I happen to know someone he would very much like to meet."_

" _Please," Perhaps he would net Katerina after all. How marvelous. "The suspense is killing me."_

 _She did not bother to hide her smile, "I just so happen to have found myself as the twin of a Petrova doppelganger."_

" _Impossible. Katerina died childless." Klaus' fury had known no bounds once they had discovered the doppelganger had been Turned, and he had unleashed that fury on all of her surviving family members quite thoroughly. A child would have been noticed and might have even smoothed some of his rage._

" _Katerina was exiled from Bulgaria by her family for having a child out of wedlock, besides which it was not your mother's spell that created the doppelgangers. I'm sure Nature would have found a way regardless. Although I do agree; the idea of her having a twin seems wrong. But I cannot deny the family resemblance."_

 _Elijah leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. "If you have a human doppelganger, why come to me? Why not contact my brother directly?"_

" _Lord Elijah," her smile flickered, "as much as I respect your delightfully violent brother, the one person I recall attempting to negotiate with him was Elena's birth mother, one Isobel Saltzman nee Flemming . He compelled her to commit suicide by sunlight. While I may not be overly devoted to this body that I woke up in, it's still the only one I have." She clasped her hands behind her back, twisting her fingers while trying and failing to meet his gaze now. "I like to imagine, and please, feel free not to correct me if I am wrong, that you might refrain from ending my life so long as you do not consider me disloyal to your interests. All I ask is that as I assist you with your family…."_

" _I assist you in finding your own loved ones." He filled in, leaning back into the seat. The young woman remained silent, except for the occasional anxious flutter of her hands to tug at her skirt or hair. When he was satisfied, Elijah rose to his feet and offered her a hand with a gallant smile. "We have a deal, Miss - ?"_

 _She accepted his hand with a delicate grip and offered a deep curtsey. "Cynthia Gilbert," she answered once she had straightened her spine. "Currently, of Mystic Falls, Virginia. You're welcome to visit me anytime."_

.

* * *

.

He would be visiting, right after he made some arrangements with her dear mother Isobel. The woman apparently so skilled at research that she was capable of discovering his wayward brother; even if she had been incredibly foolish to do so in the first place.

.

* * *

.

 _Elijah gets the POV camera lens in my attempts to make up for how darn long it took the plot to reach him.  
(Don't tell Damon. He might get jealous.)_


	13. Chapter 13

Cynthia was positively giddy by the end of her negotiations with Elijah Mikaelson. Despite all the time she had spent fretting over the meeting (and planning, more heavily with Damon than with Lee but three heads were better than one), it had also been exhilarating to meet him. She was another step closer, finally finally closer to getting home. Or at least finding out if it was possible.

No. No, she was not going to indulge in the possibility that she couldn't get back. If the creators of the show had gotten so much right about this parallel universe, it couldn't be by complete chance, right? True, the physics of parallel universe travel made no sense past the quantum level (and quantum and classic rules didn't play together, to her understanding?) Magic existed in this dimension though, and Cynthia would be hard pressed to claim she was still certain it did not exist in her own.

Something had landed her here, after all.

Elijah had escorted her out of the house. It was her house, technically, but the Bransons had better know she had no intention of paying property taxes for them. She liked them enough to manipulate events so Lexi wasn't staked to throw off the vampire threat, not enough to deal with bureaucracy bull on their behalf. She didn't have the income to pay for it anyway!

The elder vampire's old world charm, and the very real risk of her death, had kept Cynthia on her best behavior the entire day. Making the fudge had been just as much about playing a good host – and offering more gifts to the not an actual fae but close enough to it – as it had been a ploy to keep her hands occupied and her mind busy. There had been no telling when Elijah would show up, after all. She had spent the night on an air mattress surrounded by cardboard and a strange nostalgia for all of her own moving escapades.

Standing on the front porch, one hand still resting lightly on Elijah's arm she raised two fingers to her lips and whistled. (She felt very much as if she were summoning unruly pets, and honestly it was enjoyable.) Lee was good natured about everything, but she could practically see Damon evaluating everything. So she waved with her free hand and shot the man a wink before returning her attention to Elijah. "May I introduce my friends? This," she gestured, "is Mr. Lee Branson, and this is Mr. Damon Salvatore. Lee, Damon, if I could have the stakes?"

"So this is the mysterious Elijah," Cynthia rocked back on her heels when he slapped his stake a little too exuberantly into her hand. She had to focus on not using the original vampire as a balance. He wasn't a _barre_. Damon was wearing his most charming smile; Cynthia shivered a little and spoke up again as she slowly removed her hand from the crook of his elbow. "The rest of the wood I have is at home. Would you be amenable to picking it up there?"

Elijah's gaze followed her movement before scrutinizing her. "You have until tomorrow morning, Miss Gilbert." Her eyes widened in surprise, utterly startled by even that amount of leniency. Even with Rose and Trevor not being directly here and with her _needing_ him, Cynthia had fully expected him to be keeping a direct eye on her and her compatriots. The fact he hadn't set her off balance more than Damon's jostling had. "I do hope I don't need to explain what will happen should I find you lied to or betrayed me in any way."

"No one hurts your family and lives." She kept her voice light just as he had, but the memory of precisely what had – would? – spawn that line was sobering indeed.

"Mr. Branson, Mr. Salvatore." Elijah had lifted his attention from her as he pocketed the new stakes. (Where was he keeping them? His suit didn't show any lines. Was it magic?) He stepped lightly off the front porch, his face inscrutable when he paused. "One more question, Miss Gilbert." After their hour or two long interrogation, really, what was one more between friends? Or not friends, as the case may be. "How old are you?"

Ah. That was a question she should know the answer to, wasn't it?

"Sixteen? Maybe seventeen?" Jeremy was fifteen right now, right? What was the age gap between the supposed siblings again? She should know something this basic. The answer satisfied Elijah, much to her relief. She didn't understand the significance of her physical age; Lee didn't seem to understand how she couldn't know the answer. "Until tomorrow."

Cynthia didn't see the original leave, but the rush of air and Damon's immediate steadying hand on her shoulder made it obvious that he had. "Care to share with the class?"

She wanted to just sit and process everything, but it wasn't to be. Only Damon had any idea of the full magnitude of importance she had assigned this meeting; Lee knew she _thought_ she needed it, but that was all really.

"Rosemarie has a full pardon," she began, meeting Lee's gaze first. If and when she made it home, Cynthia would be doing a lot of praying for forgiveness over all the devil deals she was making here. Not to mention the fact she was actively and passively participating in so much death. "I didn't have the means to gain Trevor the same."

No, Cynthia did not give a damn that she had technically never been told the name of Lexi's friends that had been responsible for getting in touch with Elijah in the first place. The Bransons were potential loose ends, knowing some of her plans while being far more trusting of Stefan than her. Now that she'd communicated with Elijah, Cynthia wasn't quite as worried. He could try his best to stop the sacrifice, but what would be the point?

Klaus would be highly motivated for the doppelganger to live a long human life.

"On the down side, one of the Mikaelson's have access to your home. On the plus side, no one else can get in?" And surely they had other places to stay should they actually end up on Elijah's list. Or they could have her sign over ownership, it hardly bothered her. "Speaking of homes, can we go, Pikachu?" Before she had to give a full report to Lee. Let Damon handle that part. His idea of tact was still more than she felt capable of just now. She still had to play third wheel on a date tonight.

"Got a hot date?" He was so lucky that she liked him too much to stab him with her pencil. And that she had been using a mechanical pencil to doodle (while she waited) in the first place. "Not until tomorrow morning," she smiled beatifically up at him as he did start walking away from the house with her, presumably to his car. "Unless you're willing to make my appointment with Jenna a double date tonight?" That would be amazing. More than, even.

"Nice try." Damn it. "Somebody has to check on the pets you _insisted_ we adopt."

Cynthia squinted a little at him. It wasn't like they had been fed. Pearl would have found her way out in no time if so, she was sure. Not that making sure no one had wandered in would be a bad thing, it just left her alone with Logan and Jenna on date number who knows what. She hadn't seen the man at their house yet, but Damon had snuck her out before midnight. Still, theoretically, Scumfell hadn't quite made it to the house yet. Another lovely bonus of Caroline being in the know before Elena; no awkward conversation to have the Gilberts and Fells trading favors over.

Or maybe he wasn't actually after that stupid watch, but _why else_ would he suddenly be interested in Jenna?

"Fine, fine. Be a responsible _adult_ ; you're such a spoilsport when you decide to be admirable." Grumbling further insult compliments, Cynthia let herself into the passenger side of Damon's car. She would need to be responsible later and catch up on a boat load of make up work. Heck if it wasn't worth it though. Damon's eyes were crinkled with amusement when he slid into the driver's side. Tapping his ear, he nodded toward's Lee's stationary form. The Salvatore had only parked a few houses down, and Lee remained on his new house's porch. "So, how'd you negotiate the flower child's freedom?"

Damn it, he would have to go and make covering up her mistake fun.

"With the white oak in my possession, or our possession rather. He asked after her, and I put two and two together." All true, although Cynthia was helpfully leaving out the part where she already knew their names and their crime for that matter. "Trevor's name wasn't mentioned until after I'd struck the deal." Technically, it hadn't been mentioned at all. Not that she would have attempted to negotiate for him anyway, she had her own business to attend to as well. Such a pity that she'd left her fudge in the Branson's new home, or she'd have shoved a piece in Damon's mouth now to stop the inquisition from continuing.

He stopped on his own in short order and started up the car, which Cynthia took to mean that their audience had left them. Just in time too, they would barely make it back to Mystic Falls in time if Damon followed the speed limit.

(He didn't.)

.

.

It was with great reluctance that Cynthia walked through the doors of the Mystic Grill. What she wanted to do was keep sleeping on Damon's arm. He'd turned the radio down and let her crash after she had updated him on everything. That nap had been wonderful, even with the discomfort of the gear shift. As utterly lame – and foolish – as it sounded, she trusted the blue eyed vampire. Logan Fell? Not so much.

He cleaned up well. No surprise there, most of the show's main and recurring cast were aesthetically pleasing. The man still set her teeth on edge.

Skipping up to her aunt, Cynthia put on her best smile. "Have no fear, children. Your chaperone is here!"

"Chaperone?" Logan looked between Cynthia and Jenna. "Worried that you won't be able to keep your hands off of me, Jenna?"

"Every time you speak, I just hear 'Punch Me',' Jenna snarked back. "She's here to make sure I don't."

She so knew that Jenna was a perfect aunt. They both had issues with responding to stress with the violence. Never mind that was probably a lie and that Jenna's biggest weakness wasn't self control but her insistence on giving everyone chance upon chance.

Cynthia grabbed both of their wrists and decided to drag them to a seat before the tension between the two theoretical adults choked her. "Okay, food time! Also question, and it's a daily double." Cynthia waited with her hands propped up on her hips as both her aunt and her aunt's poor choice of potential boyfriend sat under her glare. "Have you ever met me before, Mr. Fell?"

She smiled at the utter confusion both gave her and flounced into the seat next to Jenna, all the better to whisper in her ear. Not that Cynthia could blame her aunt too much. Her favorite men in this universe were remorseless serial killers. Logan cheating in the past was rather tame in comparison.

Totally still a valid reason not to date him though.

"I… I might have? When you were around nine." Logan squinted at her, an amused grin forming that she still wanted to smack off. "Are you trying to give me a shovel talk?"

Was he trying to imply she wasn't intimidating at all? How dare he be right about anything. Jenna distracted Cynthia from her sudden staring contest with the broadcast journalist by loudly thanking their server for the menus.

"If I was threatening you, Scumfell, you would know it," Cynthia informed him lightly. She'd ask Damon to back her up if she actually needed to be threatening. Never mind her existential crisis right now. The girl placed her order with a polite smile, then placed her hands on the wooden table between her and Logan. "Alright, I admit. That wasn't the question Aunt Jenna wanted me to ask."

Said aunt was smacking her with a napkin right now; Logan looked delighted at the admission Jenna had a hand in this. "Go ahead and shoot, kiddo."

At least it was better than _Cyndy._ She took a deep breath, released. "Right, Jenna and I were hoping you'd settle a dispute for us. We wouldn't be coming to you, if you weren't so conveniently suddenly making yourself available." Shots fired. Cynthia smiled prettily, hoping she looked innocent but willing to settle for devious. "See, I believe vampires are real. She's convinced that Occam's Razor suggests there's no such thing. After all the existence of vampires would mean that there is a decades, centuries long town conspiracy. And, of course, that's on top of vampirism somehow being a legitimate thing and not just fantasy."

She reclined into her chair further the longer she spoke. By the end, some of her attention was diverted by a dark haired trouble maker chatting with Vicki at the hostess' station. Logan's flabbergasted nervous laugh was enough for Cynthia to refocus however. "Wow, you have a really good imagination."

"Mn, you think so?" She thanked their waitress profusely for her drink, ripped off one end of the paper wrapper, and blew the rest towards their current interviewee playfully. "What do you think, Aunt Jenna?"

"For a television personality, you're terrible at selling your story."

Her soda pop was almost as delicious as the expression on her new aunt's face.

She couldn't tell who was sweet talking Vicki, but the kid looked vaguely familiar. She drank more of her soda determinedly, tuning out as Jenna dominated the conversation with her not quite but sort of boyfriend. Why did Mystic Falls have to be just as full of life threatening drama as it was general teenage stupidity?

Living in a deadly soap opera was not of the fun.

"Why would you even consider giving credence to her ideas?"

"Why do you think posing a new question will make me forget that you haven't given me a straight answer?"

At least she was getting a cheeseburger and fries out of this.

.

.

As it turned out, Logan was not invited home that night. He did push for it, saying he could cook and make things up to Jenna, explain better. Jenna didn't take the bait, and Cynthia wasn't about to try and sway her position. Sucks to be you, Scumfell. What she wanted to do was ask him if he was only using her aunt for some stupid device, or if he was actually genuinely interested in her. It might not have changed Cynthia's opinion on the man overly much, but it certainly would have provided some worthwhile context.

They bickered lightly over what memories consisted of on the short drive home. Going up against a psychology major in their own field might not have been one of Cynthia's smartest decision, but it was the preferable outcome. Given that they'd gotten on this tangent when Jenna asked about her initial question to the Fell.

The girl knew that she should really just grow a spine and check old photo albums. As much as she agreed with Damon that it didn't matter whether or not Cynthia 1.0 was real (or really a Gilbert), it still nagged at her.

Her justification for not checking was that she wouldn't believe it anyway. She'd read 1.0's diary and still held her doubts.

Cynthia wasn't sure any answer would make sense to her.

So discussing the fragility and flexibility of the human mind it was.

Entering the foyer, Cynthia toed off her shoes and finally felt herself relax again. She'd been on stage almost all day aside from her brief car ride nap. Being in the presence of Logan Fell as he lied his heart out over a cause he dedicated his life to was stressful. So was his inevitable attempts at apologizing and backtracking once Cynthia questioned whether or not Gilberts were no longer welcome on the council, and if so for what reason.

The girl was about to sink into the comfort of a couch when she was summarily hauled upstairs by the wrist.

"Ow! What the hell, Elena?" She jerked her hand free, rubbing at the tender muscle as her not twin closed her bedroom door. Elena had managed to squeeze over her bracelet, and the metal digging into her flesh had not been a particularly pleasant sensation. "What's your damage?"

Elena had crossed her arms across her chest and looked across her room to where Bonnie was perched on the bed. "I'm worried about you."

"We are worried about you," Bonnie corrected. "This is a friend intervention."

Cynthia looked between both and noticed their distinct lack of letters or scripts. "Umn… not that I don't, sort of, appreciate the sentiment, but I'm pretty sure Jeremy is the one who needs an intervention. Not me. Where's Caroline?"

"Caroline," her not twin huffed, "doesn't see anything wrong. You've been spending plenty of one on one time with her."

Oh-kay….

"Cyndy, where were you today?"

"You're going to need to be a bit more specific on the time if you expect an answer." She finally lowered her hands in defeat as she looked around the room. "The Heisenberg principle should not apply to me, for obvious reasons."

Bonnie either didn't recognize or didn't appreciate Cynthia's sense of humor. "You skipped school today without saying anything to any of us. We were worried something might have happened to you."

"And you didn't just… I don't know. Ask Aunt Jenna?" Was Elena under the impression they were tied at the hip twins that shared friends and hid nothing from each other? Because there was no way that was going to happen. It was only thanks to Damon that she had anything resembling acceptable clothes these days. Something that had gathered no commentary from the gang, Elena included. So she skipped a day of school two weeks in a row? Wasn't school considered more optional than mandatory in this world?

"Why would you tell Jenna but not _me_?"

"Aunt Jenna is our guardian. Also known as the person responsible should I be in trouble for truancy, and the person most capable of securing me an excused absence. Seeing as she's an adult and entrusted with our care. Why would I tell you?"

She felt bad for Elena. Really, Cynthia did. The girl's doe eyes brimmed with hurt at her rejection, but she still wasn't sure why she had been dragged up here to begin with. "If that's all. I can leave you two to whatever it is you get up to behind closed doors normally."

"No. That's not all." Elena burst out. "Cynthia, I already lost mom and dad. Jeremy is… I don't even know. You were basically gone all summer, and just when I thought I got you back. You're so closed off from me. You barely talk to me at all unless someone else is in the room." That did explain Bonnie's presence better. "I can't lose you too, Cyn. You said you wouldn't shut me out."

Elena might have asked her not to, but Cynthia was reasonably certain she had not verbally agreed to any such thing.

"Elena…. You have to accept that I do not have to account for my whereabouts with you. Okay? Every time I've gone anywhere, you've questioned me on it. Now, I don't know if you're just being really pushy and expecting me to have good gossip, if you think you are entitled to all of my life stories when I don't press to know what you and Stefan do. I mostly choose to pretend you're off in a private book club." She winked lightly at an unamused Bonnie. "Maybe sharing drinks under a cabana. But this, this has to stop. I'm allowed my secrets. We all are. That doesn't make them lies. That doesn't make them shutting you out. If I want to spend all day with Damon, then I can."

"But you can't!" Elena's voice rose in pitch. "Don't you see how irresponsible you're being? Ditching school just so you can hang around with someone who seems to spend his days constantly drunk now?"

Cynthia shrugged, trying to ignore the intensity of the girls' attention. She knew that both Elena and Bonnie were acting out of concern, both trying to protect her in their own way. That just wasn't how she was willing to play ball. "There was a hiccup in his master plan. It happens to all of us."

Elena was in her face now, repressed tears visible, enough to make her feel more than a modicum of guilt. _She's a fictional character,_ Cynthia chanted to herself. Every day here that was harder to believe. "Master plan? Since when do you even think like that, Cyn? You were back as happy go lucky girl for all of like three minutes. Now you are constantly going on field trips with someone that you swear isn't your boyfriend… and you just expect me to accept that? Accept not knowing anything else about you? Are.. are you punishing me?"

She squinted in confusion first at the doppelganger and then at the Bennett witch. "Why do you think I would be punishing you?"

"Because… because it's _my_ fault Mom and Dad died! You've never liked all the drinking or the parties I go to. And I threw a fit to go and see Matt even thought it was family night, just.. just to want to go right back home. And they wouldn't have even been on that stupid bridge, much less have driven over it, if it wasn't for me. Then you spent all summer contemplating whether or not you wanted to have a future? Why wouldn't you want to… to get back at me?"

Bonnie spoke up again, "We want our friend back."

If they meant Cynthia 1.0, then she strongly agreed. The rest, however, she should have expected. As exhausting as it was.

"Elena. I don't blame you for the deaths of your – our – parents. You didn't drive them off the road. You didn't stop them from being rescued." Frankly, she didn't like the little she remembered of Grayson anyway. "All you did was get upset and turn to your parents for help."

Maybe that was part of Elena's inability to step out of the adult and in charge role. The last time she asked for help, the adults involved _died_.

"I'm… I may never go back to being someone who sneaks into your room at night to tell you everything on my mind, or whatever. That's not because I hate you, or because I'm punishing you, or even because I blame you. I'm just not that girl anymore."

Can they please stop having conversations like this now? Probably not. She was stubborn as a teenager, and Elena made her look fairly flexible.

"Why not?" Bonnie looked just as lost as Elena. "We miss you. You're fine talking with Caroline. Why not us?"

Caroline understood what it felt like to be the outsider. That was why.

"Even if I could explain…. Would you believe me?" Cynthia backed up to the bathroom door, thanking the powers that be that it was now her room on the other side of the Jack and Jill suite. "You didn't about vampires. Damon believes me. That's why I like spending so much time with him. That and… it's just like you and Stefan, you know?" Twin and best friend exchanged glances, and Cynthia mentally stepped on her own foot. "I mean, you like him a little because he doesn't have any particular expectations of you. He doesn't want you to be anyone but who you are now. Not cheerleader girl or community service girl or anything but… you."

She decided to politely ignore the significant looks being shot her way.

"Speaking of Damon, I should be meeting him soon." Cynthia tapped the side of her nose mischievously as Elena gasped. "Cynthia Gilbert, you are not sneaking back out of the house. You just spent the whole day with him!"

"All I said was I could do that if I wanted," Cynthia grinned, although she kept her tone petulant. "What I actually did was help some of Damon's acquaintances move." She didn't want to deal with the whole 'Stefan didn't say Lexi was moving!' conversation right now. "And then suffer through Aunt Jenna's agonizing attempt at a date with Logan Scumfell."

Gossiping really did melt Bonnie and Elena. Fine. She'd think about sharing more in the future. Bonnie was leaning forward slightly as if she were fascinated. "I take it you don't approve?"

"I think he's using her," Cynthia admitted bluntly. "I haven't said anything because I don't have any proof. He was disturbingly keen on getting invited over. I can't imagine why. If you wanted time with someone you were attracted to, and you had a house like the Fell's… would you push to visit the house with three minors in it? Or to have your paramour visit you?"

The bathroom door opened from behind her, and Cynthia fell backwards with an embarrassed squeak, hitting tile and legs. Elena was kind enough to cover her laugh. "I think you're meant to catch her." Maybe not so kind. Lifting herself back up, she groaned a little at just how amused Damon looked.

"You have to stop just falling over me in public, kitten. People will talk."

Smug blue eyed vampire in his leather coat.

"This is why no one believes me when I tell them we aren't dating," she complained as he helped her fully to her feet with a tug at one arm. "Is the intervention over, or…?"

"Have fun, _kitten_." Cynthia grabbed a hand towel, bunched it up, and tossed it at the two snickering teenagers.

.

.

Was it bad that talking with Damon made her feel better? He'd dumped a duffel bag full of wood on top of her bed before fetching her. Cynthia had to admit that he had done a good job; even knowing where it came from, she couldn't tell that it had been a sign at one point in its life.

She had grumbled to him while doing math problems and BSing an outline for yet another essay. Family dynamics that weren't yours sucked. Being paranoid about everything also sucked. (Damon, naturally, just told her to live a little.)

"I just want to be home. To be with Orion, for all of this to be over."

"You say that like spending time with me is a terrible chore," Damon quipped as he leaned against her pillows, no doubt correcting her history homework with sarcastic comments. Cynthia rolled her eyes at him. "As if you wouldn't have left me in a heartbeat if Katherine really was in that tomb."

"Of course I wouldn't." He sounded so serious that Cynthia snapped her binder closed and turned to stare at him. "You wanted to see Europe with me first."

She could only manage a weak smile at that.

Damon pulled her away from her homework, holding her secure with one arm and tucking her hair behind her ears with his free hand. "Tell me about him. Your one true love." He didn't need to sound so sarcastic about it just because his had only been out for herself.

"Orion.… For me, he's one of those people that when you first see them, learn about them, you desperately want to get to know better. He's smart and funny and one of the most loving people I've ever met." She leaned back against Damon's shoulder, no longer pretending to want to do any of the hell that was high school busy work. "He's also reserved with people he doesn't know, but if you're someone he considers family he'd do anything for you."

"You don't seem the sort of girl who would go for the reserved type."

She snorted a little. "Really? Have I struck you as horribly impatient every time you go off who knows where?"

Damon rested his chin on top of her head, smirking into her hair. "Yes. Every time I go somewhere else, you start flirting with my brother or distant nephew or – "

Cynthia reached over and flicked him on the shoulder. "I'm shameless when I'm bored. I get it."

"Mhmn. It's very entertaining."

"I'm happy I can be of service then."

She very carefully said nothing when Damon started threading his fingers through her hair. It was wonderfully soothing, and she didn't want to convince him to stop by pointing out how nice and domestic he was being.

"What happens if you can't go back?" Damon asked at length, startling her from the dreamy haze he'd put her in. It took a good deal of effort to straighten up and look at him properly. "What do you mean?"

"If you can't go back to Orion," he spoke slowly, raising his voice slightly as if that would help him get his point across better. (It didn't. She had heard him just fine the first time.) "What will you do?"

Other than be incredibly miserable? Cynthia shifted uncomfortably at the very idea of failure.

"Why do you ask?"

"Gee, I don't know. It's not like I have any experience with someone I love being stolen away from me the night of a comet." His voice practically dripped sarcasm. Cynthia, for her part, stiffened at the comparison. It wasn't that she disagreed with Damon, their shared loss was something she had happily leveraged to build a rapport with the man in the beginning. It was the significance he placed on the comet.

Damon continued talking as if he hadn't just stabbed her in the heart. "At least, I assume the night we met was the first night you were here. Am I wrong? Did you hole yourself up in your room waiting to come play fangirl?"

No, damn it all. She hadn't been.

"They could be totally unrelated." Cynthia hoped they were, but if anything aside from Expression could power the breaching of worlds, then it would be channeling a comet. Most of the Mikaelsons had died at some point and been brought back in their original bodies without needing some rare celestial event, hadn't they?

"Could be," Damon agreed easily. Too easily. "But I doubt it. I think you know it too, because you've gone out of your way to make living here more bearable. You have had plenty of opportunities to ask a witch for help by now on your own."

She hadn't wanted to be disbelieved or told it was dark magic that couldn't be helped or seen as a _threat_. There was a difference!

"I guess I'll be planning for a miracle." Her lips thinned to a straight line. Neither the Salvatores nor the Mikaelsons ever let reality stand in their way. Now would not be a good time for them to start. "And that trip to Europe."

She felt as much as heard Damon's amusement.

.

.

Morning came far too soon. Damon summarily deciding to crash in her room was beneficial in that he woke her up in enough time to take a shower, but it also had the rather negative effect of leaving a very nosy vampire around to raid her drawers and comment on everything. He approved of her shoes, disapproved of her undergarments, thought her black lace gloves were 'adorable', and tried to convince her to wear the outfit he'd picked out for the day.

"Oh come on, Cynthia! What's the point in having all these clothes if you don't wear them? Besides, where is your Halloween spirit?"

"Buried with the cup of tea you spilled on the clothes, I _was_ going to wear today." She grumped, tugging on khakis and a red floral top and continuing to ignore Damon's attempts to sway her otherwise. "I am not going to school dressed like a flapper. And Samhain is weeks away. Besides, I do have an important meeting with someone this morning."

"You made that deal before you thought you might need to wait a hundred and forty five years to go home," Damon pointed out helpfully. Cynthia scoffed a little. "It's terribly convenient that you waited until last night to bring that little point up. But if you are right, then that's all the more reason to play nice. I don't want to be enemies with the Mikaelsons anymore than you should."

"Is there anything you can't suck the fun out of?"

Yes, Damon. Complain she preferred to get them mutual allies instead of reacting impulsively from the possibility it might be even harder to go home than she'd originally thought. Screw that.

Cynthia considered his question anyway, then shrugged. "Leaf peeping."

The doorbell rang before Damon could do more than smile disarmingly at her. Cynthia fixed a new scarf around her neck, grabbed her jacket and both bags, then practically ran down the stairs. She still didn't beat Elena to the door, however.

"You're… not Stefan," Elena blinked in confusion. Cynthia couldn't blame her. It wasn't every day that a stranger showed up on your porch in such a nice suit.

"No, I am not," Elijah smiled politely, all of his attention on Elena until Cynthia slid next to her and set the duffel bag down in the doorway. He eyed the bag for a brief moment, then looked back up to meet the shorter girl's eyes. "I'm assuming by your ages that you would both be Miss Gilbert, not the Ms. Sommers I am given to understand has taken up residence here?"

Elena took a half step away from the door, her hand finally leaving the door knob when she did so. "What do you want with Aunt Jenna?"

"Nothing, for my part," Elijah replied easily. "Forgive me. My name is Elijah Smith. I'm here to represent the interests of one Mrs. Isobel Saltzman. She is seeking custody of her twin daughters. Mrs. Saltzman alleges that the late Grayson Gilbert conspired to keep her girls from her. Now that he has passed, and his family has had some time to grieve, she wishes to remedy the situation. I was hoping to deliver these papers to Ms. Sommers in person rather than through the mail; It seemed insensitive to do otherwise."

Cynthia took a step back, as Elena informed the man that their aunt had left early this morning to get to school, and wouldn't be back until evening. Murmuring quietly as the other girl spoke, Cynthia pre-emptively invited the elder vampire inside. He was still the ally most likely to help her in her quest. (Elijah's mother and his half brother were both skilled with moving souls about.) Elijah was also the least likely to act out in anger. He'd have little enough reason to do so if he was securing possession of the doppelganger through legal means. Even if Isobel didn't actually have a case, Cynthia wouldn't be surprised if both twins found themselves in his care in no time regardless. Her – apparently actually biological – twin was still staring uncomprehendingly at their visitor. "If you find it agreeable , we can accept the papers for her and place them on her desk," she offered. "Oh, I forgot my manners. My apologies. Do you prefer coffee or tea, Mr. Smith?"

"We aren't accepting anything," Elena hissed at her. "And after everything you said, we're not inviting a stranger inside without Jenna around." Well, no. 'We' weren't. She already had. Cutting over Cynthia's attempt at pleasantries, Elena successfully grabbed the original's attention again. "What do you mean, twin daughters?"

"I'm afraid I can't discuss matters of the case with anyone uninvolved. Unless your birthday happens to be June 22nd?" He paused a moment. "Thank you for the offer, Miss Gilbert, but I won't be staying."

So _that_ was her new birthday. Cynthia tuned out briefly, mentally calculating what her new zodiac sign was. Cancer? Or close enough. She could work with that, the girl supposed. She missed Elena's choked gasp, but did catch Damon coming downstairs and playing the responsible adult as he closed the door and spoke quietly with the elder vampire outdoors.

Times like this, she almost wished for vampiric hearing so she'd know what Damon was saying to the man, but Cynthia had enough faith in Elijah. She'd fulfilled her side of the bargain, so Rose was free. So long as she did not plot against him and prevent the reunion of his family, Elijah would at the very least, not make life more difficult than necessary for her. She couldn't be reunited with her family if she was trapped in this world's Other Side or anything else.

Cynthia could almost feel sympathetic for Silas. Almost.

"Cynthia." Belatedly, she looked up to her now shell shocked twin. "Is he… are.. are we adopted?"

She took a deep breath, then stepped forward and held the girl. Elena, after all, had fond memories of the Gilbert parents, and Elijah had heavily implied they had been kidnapped. While it wasn't the case, to her knowledge, it had to be a blow for the young teenager.

"Maybe so. I guess we'll find out tonight." Cynthia chided herself mentally for that stellarly unsupportive response. On the plus side though, it had to be better than having sex with your boyfriend and finding out you were a dead ringer for his ex. And only _then_ discovering she was adopted. Even if it was only marginally better. "Jenna will be able to set Mr. Smith straight if he's wrong."

Gently, she pulled Elena over to sit on the staircase with her. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I… I don't know. I can't imagine Mom and Dad basically kidnapping us…."

"But if he's right," Cynthia followed up as sympathetically as she could manage. "Then we still have parents somewhere. At least one."

Blood family mattered quite a bit to Elena Gilbert. Whenever Cynthia forgot it – like she had before last night's little 'intervention' – circumstance seemed to bring her a reminder. She hadn't expected Elijah to take this angle, for all that she had mentioned Isobel negotiating with Niklaus in the original timeline. She and Elena were both old enough to have a say in who held custody of them, after all. Unless this Virginia lived in the dark ages still. But even if he only secured temporary custody, that would be more than enough of a boon should he reach out to his brother. Last time, Cynthia was fairly certain he had played historian.

Last time, she realized, Elijah thought he needed magic to kill his brother. This time around, even if he did seek to end Klaus' life, all he needed was one of the stakes she had provided him.

The front door opened, and Damon leaned into the house. "For whom it may concern, my far less attractive brother has shown up and is insisting he escort you to school. Apparently, he thinks I'm a bad influence."

Cynthia shared a grin with Elena as they both heard Stefan insist that was only because Damon _was_ a bad influence.

"A bad influence that makes a wonderful pillow," Cynthia whispered to her twin. She had meant what she told the girl last night; Cynthia had no intentions of accounting for where she was at all times or going back to being a person that she had never been. But if it made Elena feel a little better, a little less guilty, just to talk to her a little more? That, Cynthia could do.

At least occasionally.

"He's also an incredibly annoying alarm," Elena responded, smiling a tiny bit as if to say she was forgiven. "I have no idea what you see in him."

Walking out onto the porch, Cynthia was disappointed to see that Elijah had already vanished. Not that she would have been able to speak privately with him, there were far too many busy body witnesses. Stefan was by their side the moment the front door closed, watching Elena with a truly tender amount of concern. "Are you okay? Damon said you had a visitor."

Elena brushed her hair off her neck and shrugged her backpack onto one shoulder. "Yeah, he was just here a minute ago. Where'd he go so quickly?"

"Small town," Damon shrugged off her suspicion easily. "Big shot lawyer was probably itching to leave. I can't say I blame him."

"No one is making you stay here, Damon," Stefan fixed him with a glare. "Elena has a point. If he left that quickly, then he might be a – "

"A vampire?" Her twin made a strangled sound. "You mean Damon was serious? You know? And it's _true_?"

"Threat," Stefan finished with a confused expression. "What did Damon say? Elena… you know you can't believe a word he says." Cynthia was curious herself, even if Stefan's assertion was hardly fair. She had been wondering when Elena and Stefan would have had this little heart to heart. Considering she had given the perpetual seventeen year old more than enough warning, Cynthia had honestly expected it to have happened sooner. For Lexi or Lee to say something at the least, given Zach rarely seemed to come out of his room enough for Elena to interact with him. That, or he stayed out of the house as much as possible and inside the homes of other Council members.

"He said your father was murdered by a vampire," Elena whispered, staring at Stefan with ill concealed horror. "I didn't want to believe it, because he also said… the last time your father saw _you_ he thought you were a demon." A fact Stefan had not argued, while in Elena's presence. Apparently stealing the video tape had not actually been good enough. Possibly worse for the way Elena saw him. Whoops?

"Elena." Stefan took a step forward, and Cynthia wrapped an arm around Elena protectively. (Also, to keep her from fleeing too quickly.)

"Because if vampires are real," the doppelganger continued shakily. "Then that means… Stefan. Stefan, what are you?"

Somehow, Cynthia doubted they were actually going to go to school today if she didn't interfere. Stefan, the poor sod, looked heartbroken. She almost wanted to give him a hug, but given how focused he was on Elena, Cynthia wasn't sure that Stef would even notice.

"Elena. Please."

Damon whistled lightly, cutting through the angsty tension with his own devil may care vibe. "This is what happens when you choose to keep secrets, little brother. Come on, kitten. I'll give you a lift to school. I'm pretty sure you're ahead of me enough in favors by now."

"What is he talking about?" Elena's voice rose in pitch. The doppelganger wasn't stronger than Damon however, so it was no surprise which of the two won the tug of war over possession for Cynthia's arm. "Cynthia?"

She took pity on the girl, strapping herself into Damon's passenger seat. "There's a reason I was so confident when Caroline came up with her theory. I happen to be BFF's with a vamp."

"How can you be okay with this?"

Cynthia shrugged off the incredulity in Elena's voice. "Because I'm not a prejudiced dick?" she suggested with a teasing smile. "Being a vampire doesn't make him any less my friend. And someone leaving quicker than you notice doesn't make Mr. Smith a vampire either. I know lawyers get a horrible rap, but damn, you two are quick with the judgement."

Sure, Elijah was a vampire, but that didn't make her point less valid.

Damon revved the car engine and swung an arm around Cynthia's shoulders before winking at Elena and Stefan. "See you lovebirds later. Toodleloo." He wiggled his fingers in the parody of a wave before pulling out of the driveway.

.

.

She didn't immediately get out of the car when Damon pulled into the parking lot. Instead, she leaned back into her seat and turned to face the vampire. His arm had remained around her the whole trip, cocky smile turned up to a hundred watts.

"What did you and Lord Elijah speak about?" Cynthia asked curiously, trying not to sound confrontational and put the man off. She was truly curious, however, and given that Damon knew how long she had spent negotiating with the elder vampire she assumed he would understand. "Oh, nothing much to worry your pretty little head." He chuckled a little. "I simply explained that I had brought all the white oak I had collected, and I asked him what he planned on accomplishing with his little secret identity caper."

Cynthia groaned, "Please tell me you did not alienate the thousand year old vampire just because you decided you wanted to have a dick measuring contest."

"I didn't alienate the thousand year old vampire. Much." He smirked in the face of her pain. "I wanted to make sure he knew not to mess with you."

Why would Elijah hurt her when they actively held a deal? That made no sense even to her overly paranoid brain. "You are still impossible," she informed him.

"Says the one whose back up plan is to tour the world with me," Damon smiled sweetly. "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, Cynthia."

Grumbling to herself, she got out of the car after he placed a swift kiss on her cheek and pointedly unlocked the doors. "Shut up," she said fondly. "I'll catch you later?"

"Once I escape Stefan and his woe is me routine," Damon promised. "Which will hopefully end sometime this century, but I won't hold my breath."

"Bless." Cynthia shook her head a little and headed inside to meet Caroline at her locker. For once, she had a great deal to share, and she felt grateful for how utterly long the school day would run since it would give her enough time to do so.

.

* * *

.

 _All my thanks as ever to my wonderful readers and reviewers._

 _I'm publishing this a bit early, because frankly, I need a pick me up. I can't just make **me** happy with the push of a button._

 _But maybe I can help make someone else's day a little better._


	14. Chapter 14

"Cynthia!" The lovely sound of one Caroline Forbes' cheerful voice beckoned the petite brunette as soon as she had entered the hallway. "You totally missed it! Our Bon Bon has an admirer."

"Oh?" Once again, she was being tugged at. Caroline was far more conciliatory than her sister had been the night before, apparently still under the impression her arm might be injured. (It wasn't. A perk of being this young was that sore muscles recovered so much faster.) "Tell me about them." She wiggled her eyebrows playfully at an embarrassed Bonnie. "Does this mystery student meet your standards?"

"He was just being nice!" Bonnie whispered, looking over her shoulder as if she thought the boy in question would overhear. "He's just transferred. But he _is_ gorgeous."

Caroline helped Cynthia get into her own locker – she still hated the dang things – and added gleefully, "Don't forget the part where shaking his hand gave you the warm and fuzzies."

No need to ask who mystery boy's name was then, except for show. Unless more than one warlock was going to be moving into town.

"Well, Bonnie has a great intuition about people. If this kid feels trustworthy to you, Bonnie, you should get to know him. He's new, right? What could it hurt? I mean.. I'm pretty sure Caroline is on the Welcoming Committee." If there was a committee, Caroline probably ran the thing. "She can assign you to be his guide. Instant reason to hang out."

For all that Bonnie was blushing, she didn't actually disagree with that notion, which was really sweet in Cynthia's opinion. That fact didn't keep her favorite future necromancer from noticing the glaring absence of one Elena Gilbert, however.

"Where's Elena anyway?" Well, she'd made it two minutes before that topic came up. A very impressive two minutes indeed. "I thought you two were going to try and mend fences after last night."

Caroline's locker shut just a little too loudly. "Please tell me you two didn't actually confront her just because she's acting differently now that her parents are dead. Elena dropped cheerleading, and I didn't confront her about not being my star flyer anymore." The blonde gave Cynthia an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Cyn. I didn't think they would actually…."

Cynthia shushed her with a hug. "It's okay, Care. But thank you for the vote of confidence." As tactless as it might have been phrased, she did appreciate the sentiment. "Elena and I are… I don't know. But she's having some boyfriend troubles right now. It's not my secret to share." She gave Caroline a pointed look however, given that the girl had already figured out that secret on her own.

"Ouch," Bonnie winced sympathetically. Cynthia decided to rip the rest off like a bandaid, because this part she did have plenty of right to share herself. "We also found out that we might be adopted. Someone named Isobel Saltzman is suing for custody of us. And possibly implying that G.. Dad kidnapped us. Or that he kidnapped another set of twin daughters born on June 22nd." She frowned a little, as if debating the possibilities.

Bonnie and Caroline exchanged significant looks over her head. (Being so short still rankled.)

"How are you handling that?" Bonnie asked tentatively, for all the world as if she thought this conversation had actual land mines. Cynthia restrained the sudden urge to itch from the amount of concern being directed her way for reasons she did not need. "Well," she answered playfully. "The lawyer who came by looks positively dreamy."

"Seriously, Cynthia," Caroline interjected. "This is big. I mean, being adopted is big news all on its own. I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now."

Awkward. She felt very, very awkward.

She shrugged, feeling ungainly once again in this ridiculous body. "I don't know. We should find out more tonight. He insisted on delivering the paperwork to Aunt Jenna since she's the executor of the Gilbert estate, and presumably because she is also our guardian. I'm certainly curious about it all, but I don't really know how Elena is going to take it. She loved our parents, and she blames herself too much for their death. Finding out we have biological parents could be good for her."

Or, you know, bad, since Isobel was no doubt being used just to keep her in Elijah's direct care so that she could be sacrificed at the correct time. Naturally, Cynthia intended to keep that fact to herself until they had discovered a more foolproof way to bring her back to life. Preferably with the help of Elijah's little elixir that just needed some field testing.

.

* * *

.

Stefan found her at lunch. Cynthia had claimed one of the outside picnic tables and perched herself on the table itself. She was munching on ants on a log while scribbling at what remained of her history homework. She had even more motivation to do well in classes with Damon's suggestion hanging over her head.

At first, she didn't even notice her watcher. Celery is crunchy, and she was doing a decent job of staying focused on her target assignment. Stefan taking a seat next to her and stealing one of her snacks bought him her attention, however. Twitching an amused smile at his antics, she closed her homework back into the textbook again. "Ah, hello there. Did Elena take things okay? Or has she spurned you for your patricide?"

Cynthia interpreted his violent bite into the snack to mean 'One day, Cynthia, I'm going to find out just how much Damon told you and why'. But she might have been projecting. He swallowed his bite, then responded in a grim tone that clearly said no, Elena wasn't doing very well.

"I convinced her to give me a day to explain. I haven't told her about your little arrangement with my brother yet. You gave me a heads up; I thought it was only fair for me to do the same." He almost sounded as if he thought he was warning her. "Now that she knows what Damon and I are, it's only a matter of time before she figures it out. You're covered in bites, Cynthia. How do you think she is going to take that?"

"Why do you make it sound like you were doing me a favor by keeping her in the dark?" Cynthia asked in a stunned sort of confusion. "I asked you to tell her ages ago."

He simply shrugged, which did not explain anything to her.

"Now that she knows, you can stop hiding so much around her, and actually be yourself. Shouldn't that be a good thing? Not a brooding your way into an early grave thing? All the stress you take on cannot be good for your heart, Stef." The girl fixed the green eyed vampire with a stern look. "You _are_ planning on sticking around, aren't you? Or are you going to pull an Edward and run off just because she knows and took it as badly as predicted?"

"It might be for the best," Stefan told her quietly, chewing more on his stolen snack. "If I leave, Damon will leave with me. You'll both be free from his influence. And you two have a mom that really wants to get to know you. A chance at a fresh start without vampires or death or brooding. You can live happy, fulfilling human lives if we stay away."

"And if Mr. Smith really is a vampire, or an agent of the Matrix, you will still be comfortable leaving us in _his_ sphere of influence and care? You'll be comfortable walking away and not knowing what happens to Elena?"

"I won't let anything happen to you that I can prevent," Stefan promised solemnly. "To either of you, not just Elena. I don't like how my brother has been using you, but you were right when you said you prevented excess casualties. For that, at least, I am grateful. Particularly given your revelation that the founding families are still aware of vampires."

Well, it was nice to be appreciated.

"I'm dangerous to be around," ah Stefan was still talking. "I don't want Elena to have this kind of life. Now that she knows, there will be nothing stopping Damon from messing with her or threatening her to get to me."

When did Stefan and Damon finally join forces for good, again? Did it really require both of them to love the same girl, or could she possibly jumpstart that process a little sooner?

Well, maybe not. Damon had helped her set up getting Elijah's attention, which put Elena in direct danger, however temporary that might be.

"Why, exactly, do you think your brother is here again?" Cynthia asked in confusion, pulling out an applesauce since Stefan seemed intent on crushing all of her celery to death. Stefan sighed. "When he first got here, he said Elena. The same reason as me. He's spent the majority of his time with you, but I know Damon. He can be incredibly patient if he wants to destroy someone."

"Because she looks like Katherine," Cynthia concluded. "Stefan… I can't tell you how I know this, okay? But stay. You just need to tell Elena the whole truth. She can handle a lot more than either of you think, but she really doesn't like surprises."

She didn't miss Stefan's wild eyed look at her first comment, but what he actually addressed was her insisting once again he be open with Elena. "She's been through so much already. She can barely even look at me right now. How do I tell her any of it?"

Cynthia tapped his chest with the end of her spoon. "Tap into that well of compassion that is currently drowning you in guilt. Just be honest with her. She's going to need your support. And she'll probably want to know why you weren't surprised that we might be adopted anyway."

True, Stefan leaving would make their lives easier, help the ritual run smoother, but she couldn't imagine Stefan actually leaving and staying gone. Not with the Traveler spell drawing the doppelgangers together. He'd just come back. All things considered, she'd rather him stay and not return to act on incomplete information.

"Besides. Damon isn't here in Mystic Falls because of you." She gave him a playful grin. "Not anymore."

What? It was fun to mess with him! And Stef really was terribly far behind in terms of Damon's plans. He needed to step up his game. He didn't deserve only discovering Katherine's existence when she waltzed into town, but he had to at least try to discover Damon's nefarious plans on his own. Otherwise, where would the fun and brotherly bonding be?

.

* * *

.

It said something when Jeremy sulking angrily up in his room was the closest thing to normal about the house's atmosphere that afternoon. Elena hadn't shown up to school that day at all, presumably spending it with a guilty Stefan instead. She wasn't there when Cynthia returned home, and still wasn't there by the time she finished making salmon and asparagus for dinner. (Aunt Jenna was going to have to deal with a lot tonight; the least Cynthia could do was make sure she had something vaguely nice to eat. Hopefully she wasn't allergic to seafood.)

(She wasn't. At least, not salmon.)

Elena being out all day left Cynthia with the dubious honor of having to comfort a very stressed aunt who didn't understand why Elena would so blatantly disrespect her authority by not even giving her a heads up that she was skipping school. She also had to explain why she'd set an extra place setting.

Mostly, it was that hope springs eternal in the human breast.

But it was also because they were expecting a visitor in the form of a lawyer, and by the way, were they really adopted?

Needless to say, Cynthia found herself waiting on the front porch while Jenna processed that news bomb. It wouldn't be fair to overwhelm the woman when she was already going to have to deal with a highly emotionally charged Elena later this evening. And then have her guardianship formally challenged.

Suddenly, Cynthia wished that she had either made or bought dessert.

Elijah arrived before Elena did, which seemed irresponsible of the other girl but then, she was a teenager whose world view kept being upturned. Truth be told, Cynthia wasn't particularly aggrieved by the situation. The elder vampire had parked his car visibly several houses away, then had promptly sped over to her side.

"Miss Gilbert. Or do you prefer Miss Gallagher in private?"

Cynthia rose to her feet and offered him a curtsey with a playful smile. "Please, Lord Elijah," she spoke softly, not wanting to draw attention from within the house. "Call me Cynthia. I should like to think we will be close enough in time for the familiarity. Particularly given the hand you will be playing in our custody."

"Cynthia, then." He looked mildly amused, but she wasn't positive. "Will you be persisting in referring to me as a Lord?"

She gave him an impish smile. "You and your siblings practically embody the sentiment of nobility and power. Would it not be churlish to call you anything else?"

His expression was inscrutable as he considered her; Cynthia wondered who it was that he saw. He looked as if he was lost in another time, another place.

"Mr. Salvatore, who is rather impressively dedicated to you, intimated that he had brought all the white oak that _he_ knew of. Are there any other sources?"

In that case, Cynthia thought darkly, Damon had no one to blame but himself should he want to go against the Mikaelsons later. This is what happens when you threaten an Original. They get testy with your rudeness. At least he wasn't promising death?

"It was all that could be said to be in my possession, but not the only source. There is one more source in town, and another at least whose location I have no idea of, beyond your father's stake. I'm afraid it is simply something I've heard of, not saw for myself. Although I think that last is perhaps only the size of a bullet or a chess piece."

She watched Elijah tuck one hand into his pants pocket, suit flaring about his waist. "And why, precisely, has the source in town not been turned over to me?"

"Because someone in town built a bridge out of it." Cynthia responded matter of factly. "The Founding Council is all on vervain, to the best of my knowledge, and I assumed you would like it even less for a sudden fire to carry white oak ash hither and yon."

Just as she had known as soon as he discovered its existence, it would no longer be a workable trade for the future. She had intended to leave the Salvatores something to maneuver with, but that choice had been taken from her hands. So be it.

"Is there anything else that you aren't telling me, Cynthia?"

His gaze felt so heavy, so serious, and she felt like utter rubbish. "Quite a lot. I could only tell you so much during our relatively brief meeting." Blessedly, he did not disagree their hours long interview qualified as brief, given the circumstances. "I thought if I proved myself to you first by helping with Niklaus, you might be more prone to believe me. And, truthfully, less likely to kill me _for_ knowing."

"I have no intentions of harming you in anyway, so long as you stay true to our deal. You should know that."

 _So long as you have use._

Cynthia breathed in, then out, focusing on the motion before she spoke again. "I do know that. If I had any doubts; I would not have invited you into my home."

That did bring a small but genuine smile to his face, and Elijah nodded in acceptance of her point.

"Speaking of which, I believe it is time you introduced me to this aunt of yours."

"Jenna is such a good person," Cynthia murmured wistfully. "I hope things change for the better for her, that she has a life she deserves."

She felt his gaze focus on her expectantly, not responding in any verbal fashion, so she rushed an explanation quickly, hoping to get it out and then let him inside before she managed to shove her foot into her mouth. "In the timeline I saw, she was Turned just to be used as the vampire sacrifice. After giving up so much and struggling so much to keep this family together, her life was stolen from her twice over. And I just… there's powerful writing for TV, and then there's what someone actually deserves from life. You know?"

Cynthia's entire face felt as if it was flaming as she quickly let herself inside and briefly away from Elijah's stare, then called out for her aunt. "Aunt Jenna! Mr. Smith is back to see you!" She left the door open, it would hardly keep Elijah from hearing anything closed, then left to seek out her wayward guardian.

As it turned out, Jenna was polishing off a glass of wine before dinner. She popped a breath mint in her mouth and followed Cynthia back to the foyer.

"Just in time for dinner," Jenna managed to smile tensely. "My favorite time to be accosted by lawyers."

"I don't mean to make you feel accosted, Ms. Sommers," Elijah replied genially. "My client bears no ill will towards you, after all. Here," he pulled out a thick folder from his briefcase and reached across the threshold to offer it to her. "All of the pertinent information should be in that file. We're also more than willing to pay for a DNA test to prove Mrs. Isobel Saltzman is the biological mother of the twins. She claims that she never signed away her maternal rights. As such, I'm afraid it's up to the Gilbert estate to disprove that claim."

"Miranda and Greyson said she left them, just cut and ran. How is that not giving up her rights?" Jenna clenched the folder tightly, then tried to calm herself. "I'm sorry, that was inappropriate of me. I shouldn't be taking this out on you. It's just been… a trying day."

Stepping aside, Jenna gestured to the office. "It's warmer in here, if you would prefer to discuss things inside?"

Clever, Cynthia thought proudly. Indicating he should come inside without actually inviting him. So her aunt had decided to believe her after all.

"Of course." Elijah stepped inside, closing the door behind him before complimenting Jenna on the house. It was a vampire thing, Cynthia was convinced. The girl left the two adults to their discussion and went to grab dinner for herself. Jeremy was in the kitchen, eating junk food instead of what she'd cooked. "Why is there a lawyer here, again?"

For the briefest of moments, Cynthia considered teasing him that it had to do with his drug problem. Instead, she stared at him a little too long, enough for him to squirm a little. Then she relented.

"Elena and I may be adopted."

"And the lawyer is for….?"

"Our egg donor is trying for custody."

Jeremy whistled, and Cynthia hugged him impulsively. "Don't worry. You'll still be our annoying little brother, Jer."

He grumbled in response, but he didn't tense or pull away from the hug, so Cynthia assumed she had made the right decision. When she finally convinced him to have some healthy food, she felt even better. Particularly given the fact it helped her avoid Elena's little temper tantrum with Aunt Jenna right in front of Elijah. Brilliant way to prove you think Jenna is a fit guardian by challenging her authority, Elena. Truly inspired.

"Excuse me. I better run and do damage control."

Or at least be around to hear what was being said.

.

* * *

.

Elijah had left shortly after Elena arrived, although not after a very intense staredown. Vicki was once again notable in her absence, but Stefan did come over. Ostensibly, he had been invited to dinner to serve as emotional support. That didn't stop Jenna from insisting they keep Elena's door open, or from asking him to leave by ten pm.

Cynthia doubted he actually would, but she kept her peace for now.

She would worry about pushing for Jenna to know who were vampires and who weren't later. There was more than enough on that woman's plate right now.

"How are you taking all of this?" Stefan was seated across from Elena, not cozied up next to her like normal, clearly wanting to give her space to process all of the news she'd received today. "I know it's a lot to handle."

"Which part?" Elena's face was slightly wet, she'd just rinsed it off earlier in an attempt to cool down. Elijah had apparently shamed her by calling attention to his presence. She had looked so guilty that Cynthia had held her tongue rather than chiding her. "The part where you're a vampire? Where my sister trades some sort of favors with your murdering vampire brother? The part where the people I've thought were my parents my whole life aren't? Or the part where said parents might have kidnapped us to begin with? Because I don't know how I'm taking it, Stefan. I don't know that I can handle _any_ of it."

Somehow, it did not come as a shock to Cynthia that Elena was already on Team Damon is Untrustworthy. Stefan was practically a founding member of that club. She washed the dishes just a little louder to block out the sounds of their argument in the den. Normally, she refused to clean the dishes after she'd cooked, but tonight Cynthia was sure if she didn't it would be left to Jenna. Jeremy and Elena were both too wrapped up in their own issues to care about or pay attention to domestic chores.

So dishwashing it was.

Once she had finished, Cynthia skipped into the den and claimed the seat next to Stefan. Elena was still incredibly tense around him, and given Cynthia didn't see any reason for Stef to skip town she decided to demonstrate that she felt him trustworthy.

"So, did either of you hear about Bonnie's new suitor?" She chirped, happily pretending Elena didn't look uncomfortable with Cynthia's choice of seat or her decision to interrupt them. Still, she played along. "No. I didn't. Who is it? Someone we know?"

"Nope!" She popped the 'p'. "New student. Caroline has been gracious enough to assign Bonnie as his mentor, so I'm sure she'll have plenty of details for you."

"Cynthia, what are you doing?"

She turned and gave Stefan a hurt expression. "Elena was upset I didn't share anything with her. So I'm sharing."

"I don't think she meant you sharing gossip about other people." If this was him hinting that she needed to tell Elena she fed Damon, he could put a sock in it. She was waiting for the other girl to notice on her own. It was bound to happen one of these days, surely. Although she was less suspicious than Caroline had been, given she wasn't really afraid of Damon's reaction should Elena find out.

Really, Cynthia was fairly certain Damon found it amusing that Elena hadn't noticed. It was like a game; catch me if you can. Some days, he would heal her. Others, Damon just left the scabs to heal on their own. As morbid as it was, she did find it amusing herself.

"It's okay, Stefan. I appreciate her making the effort," Elena said slowly. "Especially since she made it pretty clear last night we had to find a new normal for us. And that's what I need to do for everything, I think. Find a new normal. I just don't know how to do that. And I think… I think I need space to figure this all out."

Stefan nodded reluctantly. "If that's what you want."

"It is. Not forever, just… give me a day, Stefan?"

Apparently Stefan was going to leave before his allotted time was up. Cynthia hadn't remembered quite how hard Elena had taken the news. That, or the bonus reveal had made things worse, she really wasn't sure.

Both girls sat in silence after the green eyed vampire had whisked himself away. Elena was brooding, much like her boyfriend in that regard, and it almost hurt to watch. So after a few moments, Cynthia spoke up quietly. "Want some hot chocolate? It makes everything better, remember?"

Elena's smile was weak but present in response.

"Yeah, I would love that."

.

* * *

.

"How and why did we end up on the news?" Elena's outrage rang clearly through the house, loud enough to drag Cynthia out of bed. In retrospect, Damon's ideas about what merited acceptable alarms was more pleasant. Generally, he was far more cheerful about it, and he had even been known to occasionally deliver breakfast.

Grumbling to herself as she shuffled into clothes, washed the sleep from her eyes, and brushed her teeth, Cynthia kept half an ear on whatever was going on downstairs.

Long story short, it appeared that Logan Fell was now a persona non grata in the Gilbert household. Elijah had filed whatever information that the public at large could have access to, but Cynthia would bet money that he had also spoken with a drunk, tearful Jenna the night before. Now, the paternity of the Gilbert twins was being publicly questioned. No doubt because it made a good story.

The fact compulsion might have conceivably been involved didn't change Cynthia's opinion on the man one jot. He'd been perfectly happy to film teenage girls in swimsuits to take advantage of the male gaze for more viewership, and that had been all on his own. A scandal amongst the founding families? That seemed like a story he would legitimately run with, probably claiming if he didn't someone who wasn't 'considerate' would do the same and say worse things.

Cynthia wasn't sure if that sentiment would be correct or not. It didn't really matter. Their pictures had not been released, considering they were still technically minors, but both their identities as 'twin girls' and their mother's name had been.

"Suddenly I wish we were home schooled," Cynthia groused, turning off the television as Aunt Jenna continued to insult Logan Fell all over again. "Today is going to be _wonderful_."

Jeremy very helpfully pressed a cup of coffee into her hands, which warmed her considerably. Even if it was only because she had taken up making breakfast and coffee for them on the weekdays Jenna went to school early. "Complaining about it just makes you suffer twice," he informed her. "At least you're single, Cynthia. All the rest of us are having shit luck."

"Language." Jenna corrected automatically, before shooting Elena a concerned look. "Are you and Stefan fighting?"

"Sure sounded like it last night," Jeremy muttered into his own coffee cup. "I could hear you yelling over my music."

"Sorry, Jer. Stefan's been keeping a secret from me, and I didn't handle it well, especially with everything else."

"You'll get through it, Elena." Cynthia decided it was her turn to try and provide life wisdom. Jeremy was beating her today. This was unacceptable. "You two may or may not come out together on the other side, but you'll get through it."

Wisdom was not always comforting.

Elena gave her a weak smile. "Thanks, Cyn. Are you hitching a ride with Damon again today?"

She shook her head slowly. "I don't think so, unless he surprises me, which has happened. I was just going to walk in. Get some fresh air."

"Mind if I come with?"

A little bit, but I doubt saying so will help anything.

"You want to walk to school?" Cynthia regarded the taller girl with a mild amount of confusion. Her morning caffeine hadn't kicked in just yet for obvious reasons, and she was finding it hard to process this idea. Elena shrugged in response. "I could drive."

She hummed into her coffee and slid some waffles into the toaster.

Elena used the trip in to try talking through some of how she felt about the numerous revelations recently, from Stefan to their adoption. Mostly, Cynthia just let the words roll over her politely. School itself was awkward and uncomfortable with plenty of stares and whispers. The one highlight was Bonnie's interactions with one Luka Martin.

Caroline, Cynthia, and Elena had left the two alone for the first quarter of the day. More by design than choice, as all of the warlock's classes were on the other side of the school then. They had learned some things, because Caroline could give private investigators a run for their money. Namely that he had just moved her from Louisiana recently and that he was slightly younger than them. The blonde girl warmed considerably to Luka when his attention didn't stray from Bonnie even after he met the Gilbert twins. Cynthia, for her part, was impressed by how restrained he was.

"These are my best friends," Bonnie was saying, waving to introduce the three girls. "Elena, Caroline, and Cynthia, meet Luka Martin."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Martin," Cynthia smiled warmly to the young warlock. "You take good care of Bonnie now, you hear?"

Luka grinned over to his escort. "I think she's the one taking care of me. Who are those two?" He nodded slightly up the hall. "The worried blond and the jock with anger issues?"

"Oh, that's just Matt and Tyler," Elena closed her eyes briefly and shook herself. "Matt's probably worrying about me. I should probably go talk to them. Sorry, excuse me, Luka. It was really nice to meet you," the girl promised before extricating herself. She was probably right in her assumptions, so Cynthia didn't dissuade her. Instead she elaborated a little for Luka's benefit. "Matthew Donovan and Tyler Lockwood. Elena's ex and her ex's best friend respectively. Also one of her best friends, and the opposing love interest for the girl our brother likes. Because we're that kind of small town."

"Cyn!" Bonnie chided, and Cynthia thought it might not be entirely playful. "You'll scare him off!"

"And after all Bonnie's work to make him feel welcome," Caroline teased as Luka grinned the whole thing off. "It's fine," he insisted. "If I'm going to get to know you better, then I should probably learn more than just the names of your friends. Don't you think?"

Cynthia politely hid her smile at Bonnie's reaction to that. Small talk passed between the group for a brief time, general tips about teachers to tips about adjusting to Mystic Falls. (In this regard, Cynthia was uniquely situated to offer advice.) Then it was, sadly, time for class as the bell started ringing and summoning them all to their doom.

Pity that.

.

* * *

.

Jenna ordered food in that night, after spending the evening slumped on a couch watching Hallmark movies with the stack of court paperwork to her left. Isobel was open to mediation, as it turned out, in the event that the Gilbert estate recognized her claim without going to court. That was also the reason her lawyer agreed to pay for DNA tests for her children, a conciliatory move to assure the twins new guardian that she was precisely who she claimed to be.

Cynthia wondered where Isobel was going to get her old human DNA for the tests.

Their aunt might have stayed comatose a little while longer if Sheriff Forbes and her daughter hadn't swung by for a visit. Elena had immediately and very visibly stolen Care away upstairs along with a bag of chips, several bowls, and a box of pizza. Cynthia had followed them at first, then took a seat at the top of the stairs, raising a finger to her lips before either could question what she was doing. This way she was out of sight but still perfectly able to hear what was going on downstairs, provided neither adult whispered. So far, they weren't.

"I'm sorry you're having to deal with all this, Jenna," the Sheriff sighed as she took a seat. "I know it can't be easy."

Jenna's initial response was garbled; Cynthia imagined it was said far more to her hands than to the other adult in the room.

"Some of the things this woman is claiming, Liz," their aunt's voice was strained. "I knew the twins were adopted. Miranda wanted a child so bad. She and Grayson always said that their mom was a teenage runaway. That she up and left after three days. I know the way they secured her adoption wasn't the _best_ , but I… I never expected _this_."

"I know. Believe me. Custody agreements aren't fun for anyone in the best of circumstances." There was some scraping and folding sounds. Possibly she had moved her chair? "Bill agreed that Caroline should be able to stay here with her friends when we divorced. No one knows what this Isobel wants or where she'll take the girls. She seems convinced that she has a case, though."

All Cynthia heard for a while was the munching of Caroline and Elena, and their whispering on the phone with Bonnie.

"I hate to ask this, Jenna. But do you think she might be what she claims?"

"She might be," Jenna admitted with palpable reluctance. "I did some digging last night. The only name Grayson recorded for the mother was Isobel Peterson. The last name was probably false, but her first name matches, and she did know their birthday."

More chip crunching; Cynthia dug her nails into her wrist. This might not have actually been her family, but it was actually about custody for her and Elena. It also gave her a legitimate source for some of the information she had, which meant one less thing to worry about keeping a secret.

When the Sheriff spoke again, she sounded resigned. "I see. Then I guess we'll all be waiting on those test results." Just not with much hope. "There is one thing you should know. I wouldn't have brought it up if my daughter hadn't insisted I confirm the secret, but… you should know that Isobel Saltzman is legally dead."

This time something fell, loudly enough for Elena to pipe up and ask if everything was okay. Liz and Jenna both reassured them that it was, but Cynthia didn't miss the ripping sound of someone gathering paper towels or Jenna's embarrassed mumbles.

Dropping a glass in the face of that revelation was rather restrained, from Cynthia's perspective.

"Do you think she's a…" the girl readjusted her legs, making a face at the clear hesitance from Jena's end. Her current guardian's voice lowered too much for her to make out clearly, but she could guess where that question was going. _Do you think she's a vampire?_

"We don't know," the Sheriff had also lowered her own speaking volume, just not as much as Jenna. "She's a missing person, has been for years now. She went missing from North Carolina. We might not have found out for a while, but with Logan taking the story to the news…."

"Stop. I don't want to hear a single good thing about that backstabbing tool bag."

"Apparently her husband has been interviewing at the school; he'll probably be hired on to replace Tanner as history teacher."

"Small world."

"Carol said he explained in his interview that his wife grew up around here. That he thought moving here might help him feel closer to her, provide some sort of closure."

Someone – presumably Jenna – whistled, "Tough break on that front. I doubt he considers finding her alive to be closure."

"I imagine not," Liz agreed, sympathetically. "My deputies will be keeping an eye out. If this woman is a vampire, then we'll make sure she doesn't get a hold of the twins for any reason. Whatever motivation she might have, I don't trust it to be good."

Carefully, Cynthia inched up and off the staircase and tiptoed into Elena's room. The conversation was steering away from anything useful now, so it was time to update the girls.

She budged Caroline over on the bed, then draped herself diagonally across it so she could steal one of the bowls of chips for herself before finally relaying what she had overheard. "For a town like Mystic Falls where nothing bad is supposed to ever happen? We sure do see more than our fair share of plot twists."

Care straightened up a little. "So wait, my mom thinks _your_ biological mom might be a vampire? How weird is that?"

"No weirder than my boyfriend being a vampire and none of you telling me." Elena bit viciously into her second slice of pizza. Cynthia rolled her eyes before turning back to their mutual friend. "As you can see, she hasn't been taking the news well."

"Of _course_ I'm not taking the news well, Cynthia! I meet this really sweet, if overly mysterious guy. Then his very overbearing, sleazy brother, and then his best friend and her husband, and it's nice and new and not tainted by… by anything from before. Then I come to find out, he's _dead._ "

"Only sort of?" Cynthia offered weakly. "You didn't want to start planning for kids with Matt anyway. Stefan can't have any. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that he and his brother have killed people. Probably especially his brother."

"Stefan is a good guy, Elena," Caroline frowned at the insistent teenager. "Damon is a little creepy, but…"

Cynthia gave her friend a hug in thanks for her support. "It's okay, Care. Elena is right. Damon hasn't killed any humans since I became his BFF though." She smiled radiantly, ignoring the fact Elena was still justifiably not okay with that fact. At least until the other girl spoke up again. "How can you stand being around him? He attacked Vicki, Cyn. He could have _killed_ her."

She shrugged heartlessly. "He didn't though. And there haven't been any animal attacks since." All of the girls were quiet for a moment. Cynthia picked the thread of conversation back up first. "Vicki, as horrible as it is to say, was a means to an end, I think. Damon believes, and I understand it's actually true, that a vampire that feeds off of fresh human blood is stronger than one that feeds just on bagged or on squirrels and bunnies."

"… which is what Stefan does," Elena filled in slowly, her forehead creasing in a frown as she tried to follow her twin's logic.

"Right," Cynthia agreed. "Stefan keeps to an animal diet for very good reason. He tends to lose control if he tastes human, and it's not very pretty. _Damon_ wants him to… work to overcome his handicap, basically."

She was very aware of how much of a stretch her argument was; Damon had no doubt attacked Vicki mostly to have fun messing with his hero hair brother. Cynthia was also aware that her explanation did fit the limited facts Elena and Caroline had available to them, though. All things considered, she'd rather them not go about antagonizing Damon because of their stringent morals and getting themselves hurt in the process.

Going by her audience's facial expressions, it was only working so well. Elena outright scoffed at her. "So that suddenly makes it okay? Since when are you in favor of the ends justify the means?"

Right about the time the 'ends' became a Holy Grail level achievement. Try explaining that to someone as stubborn as her new twin though.

"Is there anyway we could focus on the fact our step father should apparently be teaching at school, soon? How do you even approach someone about that?"

"You're avoiding my question."

See, this is what she meant by stubborn. Cynthia settled for glaring at Elena instead. "I guess I'm just not as good as you," she replied waspishly. "The way I see it, the past is in the past."

Do not sing Frozen songs out loud. Must resist.

"How long have you known?" Cyn turned towards Caroline this time, thankful for the slight change in topic at least, even if she was still on the spot. "About vampires, I mean. At first, I thought you were just being really supportive of my crazy ideas, not that you weren't supportive anyway, I mean. But when did you realize Stefan and Damon were vampires?"

There wasn't any point in lying to Caroline. Stefan would out her anyway. Cynthia chewed the bite of pizza she had taken hard so she could speak clearly. "I found out the first night I met Damon. I made a promise not to tell anyone, and I don't break my promises. All I could do was sort of nudge you in the right direction."

"So you nudged me into researching animal attacks," Caroline half laughed, and Cynthia let out a slow breath. "This whole thing is insane. So the best friend you keep visiting is a vampire, huh? What are they like?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"What?" Caroline gave Elena a bewildered look. "Stefan has been playing human for you the whole time. Damon's out and proud. Why can't I ask? There has to be more to it than killing people and drinking blood."

Slowly, Cynthia started giggling. "There's… there's a bit more to it, yeah. Mostly, they're just human but amplified and with powers. Like, all of their emotions dialed all the way up. Supposedly they can turn it off, but it's not like a dial switch. It's either up to a hundred, or completely off." She took a deep breath. "As for powers, there's the obvious speed and strength. The fact they have to be invited into private homes, and they burn in the sun without protection."

After a moment, the girl frowned slightly. "Elena, Stefan's explained compulsion to you, right?"

"A little. He said that the vervain in my necklace protected me from it. I don't really understand why, but I guess it doesn't matter as long as it works."

"Lesson time," Cynthia beamed, her demeanor cheerful once more. "The spell that made vampires drew upon things like trees and the sun and verbena flowers for strength and long life and…. Honestly, who knows what else. Spells aren't my area of expertise." If they were, she wouldn't be stuck here still. "Anyway, all of the things channeled in the spell can be used against vampires. Vervain burns them, but it also helps protect you from their mental powers like compulsion. Possibly also from getting into your dreams, but don't quote me on that one."

Elena squinted at her, "Hold on. They can get into _dreams_?"

"Mhmn. Damon's woken me up that way a few times," she replied, still happy to have moved past the moral part of this conversation and oblivious to how disgusted Elena was by the idea. "I don't always wear my bracelet to bed. It's horribly uncomfortable to sleep in. Speaking of," she brightened further. "The jewelry Damon helped me give the three of you are laced in vervain. Bonnie shouldn't need it, but I thought better safe than sorry." Ha, try claiming he's a horrible evil monster in the face of him helping protect you!

"Why wouldn't Bonnie need vervain?" Caroline asked slowly. "Is she off limits for some reason?"

Ah. Care hadn't been filled in that Bonnie was actually, genuinely a witch. She hadn't really been either, in fairness, but Cynthia had been taking it seriously from day one. "Witches and werewolves, untapped or not to my knowledge - which is dubious given Damon has never actually _met_ a werewolf, cannot be compelled. Bonnie is a witch, and a little bit psychic." She wasn't sure if those were separate things or not, honestly.

It wasn't really breaking confidence when Bonnie spent several days running the whole 'psychic witch' spiel into the ground, right?

Cynthia bounced off of the bed and pivoted, expression turning serious as she surveyed the young doppelganger. "Stefan really needs to open up more with you, 'lena. There is so much more you need to know. One thing I want you to remember, whenever he is finally willing to talk to you about Katherine, is that she compelled him. I'm told it can be difficult to sort out multiple lines of memory. The compelled memories and your original, native thoughts. Try to be a little… patient and open minded, okay?"

Caroline looked between the two twins and shook her head. "Right, this conversation is way too eerie and uncomfortable for me now." Cynthia twitched a slight smile at the abrupt declaration, particularly given the way it coincided with the sound of running water downstairs and Jeremy announcing his arrival home. "My gravest apologies, Miss Forbes. How can I make it up to you?"

"We do have Halloween coming up at the end of the month," Care said slowly. "And rumor has it, Luka invited Bonnie to go with him already. So you know, we have to make sure it's _perfect_."


	15. Chapter 15

Damon had let himself into her room through the window last night. Her first clue had been the ridiculous horror trip that her dreams had taken with chunks of her teeth and jaw coming out piecemeal. (She didn't actually _see_ Damon, but he wasn't one to brag.) Her second was the award winning smile on his face when she woke up at five freaking twenty eight am to find him perched on her bed with bacon, toast, and grits.

Although in retrospect that second wasn't so much of a hint as it was a confirmation.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," he sangsong. "Time's a wasting."

She made an aborted pass for the toast, missed and fumbled for a piece of bacon instead. "If you keep waking me up before the sun, D, I might start to love you a little bit less."

He tsked and stole the bacon from her hand for that comment. "Now is that anyway to talk to someone who made you breakfast in bed? It's not my fault you would rather sleep your whole life away."

Just because she sometimes wished she was genuinely in a coma did not mean she _wanted_ … oh, yes. He was still on the sleeping in thing. She sat up a little straighter and snagged the breakfast tray possessively. "Thank you for breakfast. What is it that you want? Other than to horrify me."

Her mouth was still aching from that dream.

"I thought you might be pleased to know I saw our dear Annabelle in town. Cozying up to a bartender, for some reason. She's got him wrapped around her little finger." Damon's tiny shrug drew her attention, the corner of his lips and eyes both crinkling in amusement at how pathetically easily he must consider the bartender to be folding. "Or was I wrong?"

She spooned some of the grits up with her toast. When it rained, it poured.

"No, you weren't. Has she said anything to you?"

Powers, but she hoped not.

"Not yet. But playing pet sitter is growing terribly boring." The vampire was still stealing her food. What was it with the Salvatore boys and not respecting her ownership over noms? She might not be overly irritated by it, but it still itched a little in her subconscious. Damon batting his freaking eyelashes at her and giving her that smile of his _while_ he ate the food supposedly prepared for her just made it worse. "I so prefer to cut to the chase."

Cynthia shuddered a little at the sound of bacon crunching under her teeth. "I'm given to understand that foreplay is rather important. Suddenly, I feel sorry for you choice in paramours."

"Why, you little - !" The food summarily made it's way to her dresser, and the two ended up tussling on the bed. Damon held back most but not all of his strength, leaving her breathless from laughter by the time he fully pinned her down. "I'll have you know," he told her solemnly, "I take _excellent_ care of my conquests."

"Is that so?" She smiled playfully in return, staring up into his cruelly clear eyes. "Or do you say that to everyone willing to give you an all access pass to their veins?"

Damon's laughter rumbled low in his chest. "Oh, kitten. I have an all access pass to _everyone._ Most people just aren't as interesting or as accommodating."

Cynthia tilted her chin up as he raised a hand to caress her neck, inspecting the fading scars there. She could almost pinpoint the moment his attention shifted from playful and friendly to a farmer inspecting cattle. He enjoyed her company, well enough to seek her out just for laughs or in a particularly sweet mood, but Cynthia couldn't ever forget that at the end of the day, Damon saw her as food. She couldn't, because if she _did_ let herself forget, then she might start reading things that weren't there.

"How's your shoulder?"

"Mn, the left is still sore," she pouted a little, feeling his cool fingers soothe the muscle before shifting to the opposite arm. "Are you gonna reheat my breakfast after?" He wanted his food; she still wanted hers.

"Well… not the toast. You should come over to my place. I can make you a proper meal without seeing your not family lusting after me for my cooking skills. It's embarrassing. Honestly, I'm embarrassed for you."

Cynthia covered her mouth to muffle her laughter. "Your idea of a proper meal is pancakes. Do you eat yours with blood syrup?"

"How positively revolting! I'm shocked you would even suggest such a betrayal of good taste." Damon reared back, shifting so that he was sitting on the bed rather than kneeling over her. The girl rose into a sitting position as well, helping him brush her hair to the left and out of the way.

He considered her for a moment, holding Cynthia's gaze as his fangs lowered, eyes darkening with a dramatism he never seemed to grow tired of. "I really am corrupting you." Thumbing the relatively thin strap of her night shirt out of the way, Damon held her steady as he dug into her flesh to drink his fill. The pain from the bite was a familiar one by now, at times even a welcome distraction. It left her feeling warm and almost powerful, especially on days like today when Damon had taken care to not damage her any more than necessary.

It didn't cross the border into 'overly enjoyable', but Damon had assured her if she was ever willing to add sexual intimacy into the mix it would be 'mind blowing'. Damon, Cynthia was fairly certain, would consider any sex with him to be such, fangs or not.

When the man pulled away, vampiric features slowly receding, he kept a firm grip on her shoulder and reached into her nightstand with far too well practiced movements. It was where she kept her gauze and tape; items Cynthia had gotten far more use out of than she would reading a Bible or storing condoms. Feeding Damon was _messy,_ even when he tried to keep it neat. Her blood always took a while to start clotting again, and while he didn't mind acquiring more clothes to make up for what he'd ruined, after hearing the string of curses Cynthia had produced from the one scarf they'd put on too early being removed…. Let's just say, he'd ceased arguing against Cyn's preparation.

"Food's still warm," Damon commented proudly as he placed the last piece of tape over the new patch of gauze. "I've got mad skills. Eat up and then get changed. You have guests crawling out of the woodwork like rats." His eyes danced in amusement. "I know a great fumigator; let me know if you find yourself in need of those services."

"Thanks ever so, Mr. Salvatore." Now that the left was her good arm, she switched to slowly eating with it, breaking the bacon into pieces and scattering it into the dish so she'd finish the food faster. Breakfast was the meal of champions, and all that. "I'll keep that in mind. Will you not be staying?"

He watched her eat for a few moments; she wasn't sure if he was stalling to consider or making sure she followed his direction. "As entertaining as I find Elena's newfound fear of me, Lexi made me promise not to torture Stefan until after he came back from school today."

Cynthia looked up in interest, "Lexi's back?"

"Not until Stef's birthday. But she called him up to share the whole 'buying a house' story with him. Can't say I'll miss the two tag teaming me, even if she was useful."

She ate her food a little faster. Lexi was keeping silent on the Elijah arrangement, absolutely because she'd bought Rose's freedom instead of maneuvering more benefit to herself. That also meant that Lexi should be staying _alive_.

Sooner or later, someone whose fate she had averted would die. This town practically required regular blood sacrifices. But damnit, Lexi was one of those people you only had to meet once to like. Cynthia had now had the pleasure of meeting her several times.

"I'm sure the Council is loving our constantly shifting cast of new faces," Cynthia chortled a little as she forced the last of her breakfast down. "I guess it's good to keep them on their toes."

"It's certainly entertaining. Speaking of which," Damon waited for her to start trying to go into the bathroom to change to say something interesting; she was positive. "I have a meeting with our friendly sheriff. Zach agreed to let me make the vervain delivery today."

See, now she _had_ to know more, but he was all 'hurry up and get ready!' with his gestures. So Cyn left the door cracked enough to hear him, hiding behind it as she swiftly changed outfits. (All those recitals made quick change a breeze, even with the bandages. Thank mercy for small favors.) "Are you actually giving them purple verbena, or are you switching it out for lantana?"

"Most unfortunately, that would have to be a gradual switch, mixing it in and all. And Zach would be on me in no time. Which is one of the many, many annoying things about my distant nephew."

Cynthia straightened out her hair, once again wishing for her curls back, then skipped up to Damon to interrupt his train of thought. "Brooding does not become you," she chided teasingly. "Do I look presentable?"

She hated to look in the mirror if she didn't have to. Damon was pushy enough with trying to tell her what to wear or eat half the time, that he at least didn't care if she asked him a question she _could_ have verified for herself. The man inspected her, pinching her cheeks slightly so she looked a little less pale, and selecting a scarf before he gave his approval.

"I'll see you tonight, kitten." Damon backed up towards her window with a wide grin. "Give my best to Elena and my baby bro."

.

* * *

.

He'd disappeared in an eye blink. In another life, Damon Salvatore would have been a theatre geek. He spent so much time cultivating dramatic exits, witty one liners, and as she had come to discover, the man knew his way around makeup more than she did.

She tugged on a pair of socks and grabbed a pair of shoes before making her way downstairs at the now, much more reasonable time of seven. Elena had just started her shower, and Jenna was nursing coffee.

"You look remarkably more cheerful than I expected."

Cynthia shrugged and offered her aunt a smile. "The sun is up, and so must I! Besides, no matter what happens with this whole Isobel thing, we're still going to be family. It's not just about _blood_. You know that, or you'd never have treated Elena and I as well as you do."

Jenna sighed slightly, pushing cold toast around on her plate. "It's more than just the you having a living biological mother thing. With all of this… I was given custody, but I'm not the Gilbert estate's trustee," she told her slowly.

The girl blinked, trying to riddle out who was, and what it meant in legal terms.

"Regardless, I'm sure it will work out for the best," Cynthia rallied after a moment. And she was. Klaus would get what he wanted, and no one – aside from the whole vampire and werewolf sacrifice – should have to die in the process. Then, hopefully, Damon was wrong or just talking out of his ass because she'd grown on him, and she could be released from this place.

She hadn't moved past the denial phase quite yet. Or maybe she was just bargaining with this universe.

Her aunt laughed slightly, "I wish I had half of your enthusiasm some days, Cyn." She was quiet for a moment before adding, "But I am glad you've taken the adoption news so well. Elena… doesn't seem to be."

"She'll get there. You know how she is about surprises." Caroline was the spontaneous one of the group, even if her spontaneity was executed with so much control it appeared to be planned.

Oh rabbits, when was Care's birthday? It was early on ish in the seasons, before the end of the first half she _thought_. Cynthia had a half memory of Caroline being hurt because her friends never remembered her birthday, even though she went all out for them. There hadn't been a party or anything whispered just yet that Cyn had heard, but she felt pre-emptively guilty.

That girl better have joined Facebook. She'd have to remember to check.

"Speaking of surprises, remind me where I could find helium balloons? The school store only sells boring non gift things like pencils and erasers and scantrons." If we even have one. "I just remembered how big Carebear is into the whole decorating lockers thing," she added by way of explanation. Jenna didn't seem bothered and answered readily regardless.

"Her birthday's this Saturday, isn't it? I guess you better hit the store soon."

"Not a bad idea." Cynthia still had time before school, since in Mystic Falls high school didn't start until 9 am rather than the horrible go to school in the dark routine she remembered. It was a matter of minutes to grab her wallet and actually put her shoes on.

She didn't understand Damon's comment about _guests_ until she opened the door. David Anders, aka John Gilbert was half leaning against the door with his arm raised. He only moved to knock once it swung open, but the man did smile brightly when he caught sight of her.

Guess John knew her after all.

"Cynthia! Wow, look at you, all grown up…" He trailed off, not immediately stepping inside but apparently taking in her wardrobe choices instead. Was he the one that had fed the original Cynthia's Happy Bunny obsession? Because if so, she could probably never look at him the same again.

"I can grab my 'I'll try being nicer, if you try being smarter' shirt out from the back of my closet if you think I realllly look that bad, Uncle John," Cynthia drawled, knowing for a fact she would do no such thing. Changing shirts was not something she wanted to do right now. "I guess I thought it was time for a change."

 _John was the trustee_. Suddenly Jenna's discomfort made more sense. She'd half expected him to arrive days ago when the news first broke, but apparently Jenna had to contact him.

"Don't go growing up too fast."

Acting on impulse, Cynthia stepped outside and closed the door behind her, before her uncle slash father figure could announce himself.

"Speaking of growing up," she said slowly, watching John's eyes flick from the door then back to her. "My best friend's birthday is coming up and with everything… I mayyy have forgotten to prepare. Is there any way I could beg a ride to the store?" Cynthia scowled down at her shoes. "I… I know _Elena_ is fine driving," despite being the only one living he must know of to have been in a deadly or near deadly car accident, "but I just can't. I've tried. I get behind the wheel, and I _can't_. I know it's asking a lot, because I'm sure you came here for important reasons, and those don't include playing chaffeur."

John cut her off before she could wind herself up into taking back the request. "It's fine, Cynthia. I told Jenna I'd be in by noon. One trip to the store isn't going to take that long."

Beyond relieved by his agreement, Cynthia stole a quick hug. Asking Damon for a ride was one thing, they had a quid pro quo sort of game in place. On average, she stuck to walkable destinations instead, which was the majority of town. But it would be nice to not have to walk around carrying gifts where anyone – like the birthday girl – could see.

He didn't move at first, but slowly his arms folded around her shoulders to return her hug. The man was as stiff as a board at receiving affection from his daughter niece.

Cynthia really, really didn't want him to be used as a human sacrifice. Not with the same nauseating fear she felt with Jenna, John was far more of an unknown. The show said everyone hated him, but Cynthia didn't have enough context for _why_. Damon was a dick, but people loved him, eventually.

So why hate John?

She'd been afraid he would look at her and know she was a cuckoo. Seeing as that wasn't the case, Cyn gave the man a slow smile, smoothing the edges so she looked a little less terrified. "I guess it's silly to call Shotgun when I'm the only passenger, huh?"

He snorted and stepped off the porch. "Come on. If I make you late for school, Jenna will want to kill me even more than usual."

Cynthia skipped after him merrily, deciding to pretend that was a normal, non soap opera statement to make. She was left waiting with exaggerated patience for a few minutes him to clear his front seat, but he didn't seem to mind her antics. He was more relaxed than when she'd been hugging him, which almost hurt as irrational as that was.

"So, how long are you staying in town?" she babbled as they pulled onto the main road. "I mean, are you just here for business?"

"I haven't decided yet." Anders-John didn't take his attention off of the road, but she did see his lips twist slightly. "I seem to have missed quite a bit. Since when do you not like driving? It's an important skill."

Since forever. Since headlights had driven straight into her car even with her trying to avoid the drunk driver. Since she felt the reverberations of a crash every time another car was so much as _even_ with her as a passenger much less as a driver.

"Cars are ridiculously heavy weapons people willingly get inside and drive around in, under the assumption everyone has agreed to not kill each other with them," Cynthia told him primly, turning to stare out her window rather than watch his face. "This world is a dangerous place."

"Can't say you're wrong about that. But that's no reason to live in fear."

No, this thing called ineffective exposure therapy, high anxiety, and PTSD were reasons she lived in fear where cars were involved. Dealing with vampires was nothing in comparison.

Cynthia shrugged her shoulders slightly, hating the tension but not really knowing how to break it either. At length, she forced herself to speak again. "I have these dreams sometimes. I'm on the highway with my parents and my sister, traffic is speeding along. There's no speed signs or anything, but it's like… like one of those plastic race car tracks for kids. Just paved instead. And as soon as I notice that… Mom and Dad are gone, and my sister is screaming or knocked out or suddenly a kid in a booster seat, so I have to unbuckle and grab the wheel. Only I have no idea where we're going or why. I can't stop the car, just steer it and try to avoid red lights and bridges and the water. I wake up and I'm falling, and I know, I _know_ it's my fault. That I must have crashed us, and we never made it home."

Admittedly, in the actual dreams – which she hadn't had since coming here, small favors – it's her real sister. The one who is so much younger than her she can't legally drive. So it's less 'passed out' and more 'freaking the fudge out', but Elena was her twin. So she adjusted her retelling accordingly. Hell, it felt stupid to say out loud. It wasn't even the real reason she didn't want to drive, but it wasn't like she could makeup a wreck John would know had never happened.

Did it matter? When her reluctance to drive hindered no one but herself?

Her pseudo uncle was giving Cynthia a strange look now; she wasn't certain why unless it was the whole willingly opening up to him thing. It made her uncomfortable regardless. "Could we possibly change the subject?"

"Sure," a half grin this time before he shot her a pointed look. "Aren't you a little overdressed?"

He had cranked the heat up, far more than was really necessary in Cynthia's opinion. It was his car though, _and_ he was doing her a favor, complaining would have felt rude. John didn't have any such compunctions calling her out on her attire again.

And to think, show!Damon thought Bonnie was the judgy one.

"I'm told it's called _fashion,_ " Cynthia drawled. "Accessories are important."

John didn't look particularly convinced, so she diverted the conversation to trying to get his advice on locker decoration. If he was uncomfortable by the new topic, so much the better.

.

* * *

.

As much as it pained her, Cynthia willingly sought out Elena at school that day. (She'd been doing so well before all of this, putting distance between them too.) But needs must.

Coming up to her twin's side, she tugged lightly on the girl's elbow to distract her from her current people watching. "As utterly adorable as Bonnie and Luka are, can I talk to you for a minute?" Cynthia was greeted with wide eyed surprise and a stuttered, half aborted agreement. "I was going to ask Matt something, but I guess that can wait. What is it?"

Cyn ruthlessly stamped down the little swirl of guilt in her gut.

"I don't mind talking with Matty," she took a step back towards Matt's locker instead of her earlier intended destination. "I just thought we should catch up on a few things. And also, I was hoping to beg your help tomorrow. I wanted to surprise Care this year." She paused, tilting her head a little, "D'you think Matt would help?"

Elena shrugged, tucking her hands into her pockets almost nervously as she followed. "I dunno. I guess we can always ask." Then her hands were back out, fluttering slightly as if the girl wasn't sure what to do with them, so Cynthia pressed a question of her own. "What did you want to talk with Matty about, anyway?"

"Elena, sorry I'm late. Vicki has the flu, and we couldn't get a hold of mom for her insurance information. It's kinda been a morning."

Wincing in sympathy, Cynthia watched Elena place a comforting hand over Matt's arm. "I hope she gets better soon."

"What did you need?"

"Just an outside perspective. Everything is so crazy. There's weird stuff with Stefan – "

A frown, "What stuff?" But Elena shook off Matt's concern. "That I don't want to talk about," she told him firmly. "But the adoption? Having a surprise birth mother that may or may not take things to court, and now Uncle John is back in town on top of everything else."

Matt groaned, in what might have been sympathy, but his mutterings of never liking the guy did not go unheard. Cynthia stepped closer, not quite between the two since Matt and Elena had this sort of unspoken bubble of mutual concern she didn't want to burst. "Why not?"

"Because he's a jackass?" was Elena's stellar contribution. "I know you like him, sort of, but he just gets under my skin. And not in a good way. Besides, Jenna doesn't like him."

That wasn't as informative as Cynthia had been hoping.

"Well, I don't want to break up you two remembering you're best friends and not just exes, _but_ I have a quick favor to ask. Is there any chance you can distract Caroline tomorrow morning?"

Matt switched his concerned look from Elena to Cynthia, a hand tightening on the strap of his backpack. "Probably. Ty and I can ask her about the next 'team building' event. Tanner thinks we all performed better because of it."

"Excellent!" Cynthia clapped happily and gave the blond a bright smile. "You're a life saver. I'll make sure to find you at lunch so you can sign her birthday card." Comprehension and a bit of relief filtered through both Elena's and Matt's eyes as Cynthia spun off to give them space.

And to claim a seat in history.

(Specifically, she claimed Stefan's desk.)

It was absolutely worth it for the green eyed vamp's flabbergasted expression. He'd dodged school a few days before, but had agreed (possibly under duress) to keep going to school. At least for now.

"Can I help you?"

Cynthia removed her feet from Stefan's chair in an obliging sort of way. "Sure thing, monsieur. Are you and Elena planning to make up any time soon?"

"It's… not as simple as you seem to think, Cynthia. Okay? I broke her trust; it's going to take time to work past that."

She gave him her best unimpressed stare. "I was really meaning more as friends than resuming any romantic assignations."

Stefan took his seat, crossing his arms in front of his chest before giving Cynthia a sharp, almost serrated smile. "Assignations are really more your speed with my brother. Wouldn't you say?"

The girl gave him a delighted smile in acknowledgment of his point, tongue tucked against her teeth.

"I've come to enjoy sharing breakfast with him; I must admit. He's invited me over tomorrow. You're welcome to join, I'm sure."

Suddenly, he seemed more invested in studying the floor. "That's _really_ not a good idea."

Hopping off his desk, Cynthia placed a hand on his shoulder before whispering, "If you don't eat the pancakes, how will I know they aren't poison?" He wasn't quite as entertained by the joke as she'd hoped. She started to move away, but Stefan grabbed her hand, holding her fast. "My brother, our _world_ isn't a safe place for you to be. It isn't safe for anyone."

"I know," she promised softly, because he was right. The line she had chosen to walk wasn't safe, not by a long shot. "Some things are worth more than safety. Don't you think?"

This time, he did let her go claim her own seat.

"Stefan?" Cynthia hovered for just a moment longer as she saw Bonnie and Elena file in to the classroom. "Thank you for being here."

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* * *

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By lunch, Cynthia had convinced Elena and Bonnie to join in her plan. She'd purchased a few different birthday cards. One went to Matt for the football team and to sign, one with Bonnie for the cheerleaders, and one Cynthia had begged Elena to take to the school clubs and committees Care was a part of. In return, she'd solemnly promised not to leave Elena alone with Uncle John that night.

Something told her Uncle John wouldn't be thrilled at the idea of his daughter running off to spend the night with vampires anyway.

Once she started the cards on their rounds, she spent the rest of their limited break chatting with Caroline and the younger Salvatore. Care was remarkably supportive of Stefan, convinced that Elena would see how good of a guy he was. (Cynthia tried not to give the boy too many pointed looks.) She had returned to class more than content with herself, confident she'd get all of the cards back after breakfast the next day.

Dinner, by contrast, was tense and awkward. Jenna was even snippier with John than Cynthia had seen her be with Logan, and she had been actively angry with the latter. Elena was tense and shifty; Jeremy was mostly tuned out, probably texting Vicki.

That should have left Cynthia to bear the brunt of the conversation with John, but he had started making pointed questions about _changes_. She focused on stuffing her mouth full of salad and just trying to play peace keeper instead.

It worked a little. Enough that Jenna made a comment she'd finally gotten some chocolate chips for her. She'd laughed for a good three minutes, particularly because of the bewildered way John said he didn't understand. Jenna started grinning, and Elena even threw a napkin at her twin. It was _nice_.

Once she was breathing normally again, she turned a glowing smile back to her aunt.

"Aunt Jenna, my BFF invited me over for breakfast tomorrow. That's alright isn't it?" In a fit of pure sympathy, she glanced to Elena, raising an eyebrow to ask if she wanted in on the invite. Her not-sort of-twin glanced disgustedly towards their 'uncle' and then nodded sharply. Facing vampires was preferable to staying home to the doppelganger, neither of them had preservation instincts. "Elena said she'd take me, so it'll be perfectly safe."

Jenna had started taking dishes over to the sink, but she did give the twins a distracted look. "Sure. I'm glad you two are making up, Elena. You've been moping."

"So have you," Elena snorted, getting up and helping put away the food as well. Cynthia got seconds, then wiped down the counter to at least do something vaguely helpful before Jenna shooed her away. "My moping was valid!" Their aunt retorted. "Your boyfriend didn't turn your family into a news story."

"I can't help but feeling like I'm missing something," John chose that moment to remind everyone he was still in the room. Cynthia patted him on the shoulder before sitting down in a reassuring motion. "Don't worry about it, Uncle John. Aunt Jenna just has a thing for smug dicks."

She grinned all the more knowing that John hadn't revealed the whole 'we used to sleep together' thing yet. Technically, she wasn't supposed to know that fact.

To the blond's credit, he didn't discount her claim and even snorted his own amusement. His attention lingered briefly on Jeremy, then returned to Cynthia as she made herself stuff more food down her gullet. "Is this the best friend whose birthday you were so worried about almost forgetting this morning?"

"Nope, but thanks again for the giant bear. You're a life saver." A smile she very much did not feel graced Cynthia's lips. "You have to check it out, 'lena. It's in my room right now. Takes up a quarter of my bed, watching Care lug it around tomorrow is going to make my day." A slight exaggeration on the size, but if she couldn't draw things out then where was the fun in life?

She was very aware of each motion John's hands took right now, the scrape of silverware unnaturally loud.

"Cynthia claimed a new BFF right after she decided to rejoin us in the land of the living," Aunt Jenna informed him disdainfully. 'You'd know things like this if you were more involved or people wanted to talk to you.' She did wish the woman had phrased things differently, but it wasn't entirely wrong either. "What can I say?" Cyn shrugged. "He's my Pikachu."

"He calls her kitten," Elena outed her. "It's sickening."

The petite brunette sulked. "Jer, they're mocking me. Back me up!" The younger boy looked up from his phone for one of the first times that night. "As long as you're happy, it's cool with me."

Currently, Jeremy was her favorite Gilbert. And Cynthia very loudly informed the rest of the family of that update.

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* * *

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Morning dawned with no nightmares, and Cynthia found herself in a bright mood. She put on a matte purple lipstick to match her scarf and added eyeliner, then danced down the stairs. Things were on track for change, today should be fun even if it was a school day, and she was going to stay positive. Even John's persistent interest in who she was visiting couldn't knock her down. He was expressing care for his child's well being, and the girl found it hard to blame him for that. She'd be more receptive if she wasn't positive the man held a grudge against Damon. By the same token, there was no point in dodging forever.

"Good morning, Uncle John," she waved the bear's arms around. "You're up early."

He'd been standing just off the stairs, one hand in a pocket as he studied the ground in front of his shoes. "There's a lot going on. I want to make sure you girls are safe."

"We'll be _fine_ , Uncle John." Elena's eyes almost rolled out the door ahead of them.

"Yeah, our boys don't bite much." Cynthia didn't even try to avoid Elena's scolding expression, but she did elaborate. "My BFF is Elena's boyfriend's older brother. I don't think that got explained last night." Certainly not within her earshot.

"Do these boys have names?"

Cynthia hugged John, mouthing 'What kind of question is that?' playfully to Elena. "Their names were stolen from them by a witch; it's a tragic story. I'll have to tell you sometime." She was being metaphorically pushed out the door now. Elena wanted to avoid their uncle, not dawdle to spend more time in his presence. Less talking, more moving was clearly the demand.

Their Uncle John, being John, took the last word. "I look forward to hearing it." Cynthia smiled and waved.

Jenna could tell him when she wasn't around to hear the fall out. Otherwise, she was keeping the Salvatores a secret as long as she could.

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* * *

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Breakfast at the Salvatore Boarding House was quite the production. Damon had a bright red 'Kiss the Cook' apron tied around his waist as the girls walked in. She'd have thought he was teasing his younger brother except Stefan wasn't in sight. Elena's discomfit with that fact was broadcast loud and clear. Damon seemed incredibly amused all the same.

"Here I was, thinking we'd get to spend some _one on one_ time, and you go and invite the lovebirds. You'll have to ask Uncle Zach has to play chaperone." Her dark haired friend waved a whisk around dramatically. "I'll get you back one of these days, my pretty."

Cynthia shook her head, failing to even try to repress her grin. "I'll go Salvatore hunting, then. Wish me luck."

Damon, being his ever irrepressible self, grinned brightly. "Don't worry, Cynthia. I'll take _excellent_ care of your scrumptious twin."

She turned to check briefly on said twin, noting the girl's thinning lips and stiff stance. Elena must not have factored in the possibility Stefan would not be on hand at all times, but she clearly wasn't backing down despite that fact.

Such a determined little thing.

Even if she was now shorter than her and, much to Cynthia's regret, she did not appear to be growing any time soon.

Bounding up the stairs, Cynthia was about to go seek out one of the studies or straight up shout when raised voices caught her attention. Caught and held, because Stefan had to know that she and Elena were here, even if he was counting on all of the sizzling of the griddle and occasional use of the sink to block out Damon's hearing.

"…why can't you see that he's _dangerous_ , Uncle Stefan! I don't know what his angle is with the Council, but you can't trust him…"

"I'm handling it, Zach. And I know, believe me, I know."

"Do you?"

"He _drank_ the vervain I gave him, Zach. He knew I'd added it, drank it anyway, and then _complimented_ me. I don't know what else you expect me to do."

Cynthia pursed her lips, not sure if this was some ploy on Stefan's part or not. Their voices were muffled, but she could still hear them fairly clearly. She'd already been on guard in regards to Zach to a degree, but it felt like Stefan – or the universe – was reminding her once again that the Salvatore brothers were not on the same time.

She cleared her throat to announce her presence, then raised her voice a little. "Zach? Stefan? Care to join us for pancakes? Damon doesn't think Elena wants to eat with just us," she pouted a little so it would carry in her voice, but everything she had just heard didn't settle well with her. She was pleasantly surprised to know Zach was still around; she hadn't been entirely certain how alive the man was if he gave over any Council responsibilities to Damon. From the sounds of things, Damon might have threatened his great -whatever – nephew.

Returning to the kitchen, Cynthia found Elena glaring at Damon and the fangs he'd insisted on adding to their pancakes. The remaining Salvatores trooped in soon after, Zach going straight to glaring at his newspaper. Cynthia skipped up to Stefan to ask after the card he'd been entrusted with for Caroline, hoping to do so before he honed in completely on Elena. Before Stefan could comply, Damon tugged her into a hug, purposefully getting flour all over her. (Even if she hadn't been sure, his snickering at her protests made it obvious.)

Mostly, breakfast went well though, and with fewer food fights than Damon might have wanted. Elena eventually brought up how she – or they – were meant to just keep a secret that Stefan and Damon were both vampires from everyone they cared about.

"It doesn't have to be a secret from everyone," Cynthia pointed out. "Just don't tell the town at large. I'd rather them not burn down this place too. Jeremy will be fine with them having fangs. Jenna might be too, even if only to spite Uncle John."

Elena exchanged very confused looks with Stefan before prodding, "I'm not following. Why do you think John would react so badly."

"Your uncle _is_ a prejudiced dick." Damon placed more pancakes on everyone's plate – even Elena who tried to pass. "He also happens to be a member of the Town Council. Said Council's main goal is to eradicate vampires."

Zach spoke up now, pressing his newspaper flat. "You never did explain how you knew about that, Uncle Damon." Everyone politely ignored Elena mouthing 'Uncle Damon' in confusion. Said vampire stole the bottle of syrup from Stefan, answering dismissively. "It doesn't matter how I know about it. What matters is that we have a shared goal. I want to lay low, drive off or kill _any_ vampires that want to cause wanton destruction, and just.. have a chance to have a home here again."

His delivery was utterly compelling, not fully believable, but enough to draw looks from everyone in the room. After a few moments, Zach abandoned his plate and the room. Stefan and Elena both bailed as well, which meant Cynthia had to leave as well.

At least she had surprising Caroline to look forward to today.

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* * *

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 _Isobel's in town. Did you really expect John to stay too far behind?_


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** **Thank you, as always, to everyone who has followed, faved, and reviewed. I love you all.**

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* * *

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Caroline was visibly on top of the world, and remained so throughout the school day even with Mrs. Barton insisting that the stuffed animal should really be in her locker (as if it would fit) or Tanner deciding to teach everyone football plays. There had been a lot of hugs passed around, and a sense of general cheer ebbed and flowed throughout their classmates. Bonnie and Matt had both given Cynthia thumbs up and a high five respectively, and Elena had smugly told her that she had done well.

Still the only one in their group without after school commitments – aside from maybe Jeremy? – Cynthia idled around the school for a brief time, contemplating the list of clubs and extracurriculars. Would she actually have time for anything along with all the hot vampire mess anyway?

Shaking it off, she made her way to the Grill, not quite ready to update John on the whole Salvatore situation _just_ yet. Elena and Stefan might break the news at any time, even with the warning about John being on the town council, but she could hope for the best. Besides, it was Friday night, Care was going to be visiting her dad tomorrow, and now that a quarter of the school had been reminded there was something worth celebrating, the local hang out spot was bursting with life. It was easy to claim a booth, order a shake, and people watch while she doodled on her homework.

"Hey, mind if I sit with you?" Looking up in confusion, Cynthia was humbled at the sudden reminder that she'd miscalculated, however mildly. She was not, in fact, the only person without a sport, job, or club immediately after school. "Sure. I'd say pull up a seat, but…" The girl shrugged a little and grinned. "Waiting on Bonnie?"

Luka took the seat across from her, his own smile bright. "My dad, actually. Although I may try and stay for this party. I've heard you guys shouldn't be underestimated."

Cynthia was fairly sure the teens here partied a bit too hard, but Luka liked Bonnie, even if he was potentially keeping an eye on her. She was fairly certain the boy would treat the Bennett witch the way she deserved.

"I don't know about all that. I do know that anyone who underestimates our BonBon does so at their own risk." Including herself. Which was a morbid line of thought, one Luka hadn't followed her down. He clasped his hands on top of the table and watched her with a puzzling amount of earnestness.

So the girl paused, leaned back, and eyed him in return. "Are you here to tell me I don't spend enough time with Bonnie too? Because I've about had it with people telling me how I should spend my time. She's a wonderful person; I don't hate her; I'm not secretly feuding or holding anything against her… I just like different things and people and… solitude."

That didn't quite go the way Cynthia had hoped it would, the words feeling clunky and wrong on her lips.

"No… nothing like that," Luka said slowly, a little warily even, given she had definitely overreacted in her nervousness. "I _was_ just hoping to get to know some of Bonnie's friends better. She cares a lot about you and your sister." She could see his head tilt slightly and gave up her pretense of focusing on homework. "Someone thinks you aren't spending enough time with Bonnie?"

She did, a little bit. If Cynthia 1.0 was really a friend to Bonnie, then objectively, she probably seemed unfairly standoffish. Unless Bonnie really was primarily besties with Elena and Caroline? No one knew that she felt comfortable asking right now, and Bonnie might be too selfless a character to call Cynthia out over something that only affect her personally.

"Not that they've said, but she and my twin very dramatically told me I'd been ignoring Elena. And those two are like peas in a pod, so if they think I'm ignoring one of them, I feel like… they think I'm ignoring both."

"I don't think Bonnie sees it like that. She's a remarkably empathetic person." Yes, and she deserved much better friends. "She speaks highly of you. You don't need to feel so guilty."

Feeling quite called out, Cynthia ducked her head and tried to look like she was focused on her homework. Luka either wasn't fooled or was determined to follow his own agenda regardless, because he pressed further still. "It was really sweet what you did for Caroline. Bonnie said it was nice to see you acting more like yourself."

"Myself, huh?" She didn't break her pencil lead, but with the way this conversation kept going, that felt like a miracle. "Who would that be?"

Was she still Cynthia Gallagher? Or was she more Cynthia Gilbert?

"You tell me," was the warlock's easy going response.

Unsettled she might be, but Cynthia was not going to be backing down. Instead, she leaned in closer to Luka before dramatically whispering, "I… am obnoxious."

She straightened up just as the warlock mildly informed her that he could believe that, and clasped her chest in false horror before breaking into laughter. When Dr. Martin joined them then, it was to a rather jovial scene. Folding away her homework so the two could actually have some family time or relax together or whatever their plan was.

"This is your dad?" She prompted, it wasn't really a question given she recognized the man to some degree, and he had walked right over to them. But Cynthia wanted to minimize her blunders at least a little bit.

"Dr. Martin," the elder warlock held out his hand in greeting, "Dr. Jonas Martin."

Accepting his hand, she watched his expression with interest. Unlike Bonnie, he didn't freeze, far more accustomed to what he did or did not perceive. "Your hands are freezing."

Cynthia rubbed her hands together with a briefly apologetic expression, then shrugged her shoulders minutely. "Cold is a state of mind." Not the best line to come up with, but the bland expression in the doctor's eyes hadn't gotten any more threatening, or changed at all really. "I should let you two go. I mean, I probably ought to wash off the school day and pay for this." It was getting dark anyway. She grabbed her now half empty shake along with the rest of her things before making a quick exit.

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* * *

.

A shower turned out to be a marvelous idea. It didn't wash away her anxiety, but it wasn't _magic._ Standing in front of Dr. Martin and holding his hand had reminded Cynthia of how he'd treated Bonnie in the show, a fellow witch.

The last thing she wanted was to get on his bad side, and Cynthia was not in the mood to test his reaction to her any further than she already had.

She still wasn't sure she wanted to test Sheila Bennett much further, but if the woman hadn't been asking about her then she might not consider her too much of a threat. Cynthia made a mental note to ask Bonnie for her Grams' phone number. Calling might be marginally less terrifying than going in person.

And yes, she was very aware of the irony that she was less afraid of the undead than she was of Nature's servants.

Sheila said she'd never met her, but John recognized her, and surely he was on vervain. So perhaps the woman really had been speaking of her soul.

"You planning on coming out of there ever, Gilbert? Or should I send a search party?" Vicki Donovan had apparently seen fit to rejoin the Gilbert household. Lucky them. Cynthia seethed quietly, but reminded herself that unlike Vick, _she_ wasn't having to work to pay electricity or water bills, not thinking too much about the girl's arrival otherwise. "I'll be out in a minute. Didn't think anyone was waiting," she called out, hurrying a little faster to finish getting ready. Wrapping a towel around her hair and hastily applying enough concealer, foundation, and powder to cover the older bite marks on her neck and what was visible on her collarbone with a shirt on, she left the bathroom as quickly as she could.

If she avoided meeting Vicki's eyes when she left the bathroom, so what? Cynthia didn't want to start a fight, and asking why she'd gone to the twins' bathroom instead of the one Jeremy was currently sharing with Uncle John would only test the older teen's patience.

Going downstairs answered her question easily enough anyway. John was home, and had no doubt been his normal, effervescently charming self. In a rather uncharitable mood by this point, Cynthia rather thought they deserved each other, but she headed into the kitchen to make a sandwich instead of pointing that out.

John left her alone long enough for her to get all of the fixings out before making his presence known, arms hanging loosely at his sides in an almost forced manner as he tried to not seem confrontational. "What is she doing here, exactly? Jeremy ushered her in then left without answering my questions."

"Vicki?" Cynthia shrugged a little. "Showering."

Her 'uncle's' expression made her lips twitch upwards slightly. "She and Jer have a thing. I don't know how much of a thing it is. I do know he's moping a lot less now."

"I see."

Maybe he did; maybe he didn't.

"I'll be happy when they start doing something other than screwing and getting high," Cynthia confided quietly as she finished making her sandwich and started putting things away. While she kept hoping that Vicki might turn around, she couldn't tell if the older girl really wanted to be helped or not. Or even if she believed that there was help.

It was sad, and Cynthia felt some measure of (irrational) responsibility for all that there wasn't anything she knew how to do.

Taking her sandwich, Cynthia started to leave the kitchen when John nodded to the table in a silent command she knew oh so well from her own parents. The girl grumbled to herself, but did move to stand next to it, even if she wasn't going to immediately just _sit down_ and _be lectured to_. They were living in the same house and it would be awkward as hell to be antagonistic, but Jenna would probably have her back by default against John.

"Cynthia… Isobel and her lawyer are going to be meeting with me tomorrow to try and mediate a custody agreement. Jenna says you're handling the adoption news okay, but… how are you actually holding up?"

She'd been so prepared for him to be a dick, to say something about one of the Salvatores or her constantly dodging the family, or even for him to say he'd heard she knew the 'Gilbert family legacy'. What Cynthia had not been prepared for was actual, almost fatherly concern.

"I don't really think that I need or want a mother," Cynthia answered slowly, twisting at part of the crust on her sandwich. "I've lost the family of my heart, and in exchange I get someone who shows up out of nowhere." Her chosen father, uncle, so many siblings, and Orion and his wonderful family. Accepting Jenna as an aunt was one thing – ridiculous, but one thing – accepting a mother? That wasn't happening.

"I know it's been hard for you, losing Grayson and Miranda."

She took a bite of her food and carefully did not reply. At length John spoke again, "Cynthia, I knew Isobel. She didn't leave you and Elena because she didn't love you."

Cynthia tilted her head curiously and finally took the requested seat. "Are you implying we actually were kidnapped?"

"No, no of course not. But she was sixteen. My brother and Miranda had been trying for a child for so long, and they were able to give you the kind of up bringing Isobel wouldn't have been able to. She was trying to give you a better life."

"Aaand, the part where she left no way to contact her, never contacted us, left a false name even to make it all the more difficult? Then she goes and marries another man – and I'm sure he's another man because there's no Saltzmans in this area – and runs away from him too?" Cynthia gave the man a defiant look. "I'm expected to think of her as a good role model?"

John clenched his jaw, clearly not enjoying arguing with a teenager one bit. "I think you should give her a chance. Meet her, see what she wants. It could be good for you."

Cynthia paused mid bite, finding it interesting that he was arguing for her. She had thought he was more uneasy with Isobel, but she had been the one to take the anti new mom stance.

"Tell you what, Uncle John. I'm perfectly happy to get to know my egg donor. Hell, I'd be fine getting to know our sperm donor as well, and I'll _even_ try to convince Elena. But I don't want to leave Mystic Falls this year. I don't want to have someone judging my friends, and I don't… I don't want someone to expect me to _be_ someone I'm not. Are Elena and I going to be allowed to be part of this mediation thing? Or is that between you and Jenna and this Isobel and Mr. Smith?"

"Would you like to be?"

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* * *

.

The girl made it back to the restaurant and bar before dark, something she took as an accomplishment whether it really was or not. She'd almost not come back. It wasn't as if Caroline – even as insecure as she could be – would really think Cynthia didn't care.

As it turned out, visiting the Grill was far more enjoyable her second time that day, and far more productive besides. She found Damon creeping Elena and co out by being exquisitely charming, and had happily joined the other three girls in a free meal. One Damon had actually _paid_ for unless she missed her guess entirely. Bonnie was wearing the talisman now, which Cynthia assumed meant she'd paid a visit to her Grams again. That was mostly significant to her in that she actually did remember to ask for Sheila's phone number.

Updating Elena and the others about John's little talk felt… fun but strange. It humanized them, Cynthia realized. Something she had been avoiding as much as possible, and the sheer torture of repeating high school had been helping with up until now.

Elena had agreed that she wanted to meet Isobel. In some respects, the girl clearly felt the need to defend her 'real' parents. She was also curious though, and the added factor that their biological mother had left them at sixteen smoothed some things over for her.

"If Uncle John knew that this Isobel gave birth to us, why did they have to ask for those cheek swabs for the paternity – maternity, whatever – test?" Elena frowned into her drink. "Aunt Jenna didn't know who her mother was, beyond her first name I thought."

"Maybe your dad told him. Or Jenna just didn't think the age factor was helpful enough in ruling out whether this Isobel was _your_ Isobel." Bonnie offered, looking askance at Damon as he brought them refills, no doubt from flirting with a waitress. Stefan didn't look amused at all, and hadn't since he joined them partway through Cynthia's retelling of her afternoon. (He'd been 'busy' whatever that meant.)

"Orrr maybe he knows more than he's saying," Caroline pointed out.

Elena recoiled immediately, but Stefan had inclined his head slightly. "I hate to say it, because I know you're not fond of him. But it's possible he's your father. It doesn't make sense for your dad to risk his career hiding your actual birth just to ensure they could adopt you unless you were family."

Silence aside from Elena's protestations reigned. Cynthia chewed her lip thoughtfully. "I'm guessing you don't want to just directly ask him?"

"God no," Elena immediately denied. "There's no way that the uncle I hate is my father. That would be way too cruel."

Damon very visibly bit back a comment, changing it to something different, more palatable. "You know what they say about small worlds."

The conversation veered off from there. Stefan arranged to pick Elena up after the meeting tomorrow; both girls promised to update Caroline and Bonnie on anything that was decided. Damon, for his part, apparently had Council business to attend to, but he did say he would try and swing by the house.

Cynthia tried not to be to dejected that she was primarily going to be left with homework as her only company, since Elena was visibly drifting right back into Stefan land. It was going to be a long night.

Damon squeezed her hand lightly, and Cynthia excused herself from the table. He'd extricate himself soon, she just needed to occupy herself for a little while.

If anyone could knock her from this suddenly dark mood, it would be Damon. So she wandered around, waving and chatting briefly to strangers who knew her name; pretending it wasn't still bizarre. Cynthia's meanderings brought her over to the bar, and she eyed the bartender critically. Drinking had never been her _thing_ , but she did have a small amount of academic curiosity about how easy it was to be served in this town.

And this sort of was a birthday party?

"You look a little young to be over here."

Turning towards the raspy voice, Cynthia made out a shock of sandy hair and a much less chiseled and worn face than she actually remembered Alaric possessing. It was actually a little disconcerting, as if she were somehow seeing the man before he was quite… finished.

Still, she appreciated the distraction and headed towards his table. Alaric had a novel to his left, and appeared to be working on a crossword at the same time. Someone very much wanted to be distracted, and for now at least he hadn't delved fully into drinking to achieve that.

"It's the height, isn't it?" Her lips tilted slightly into a half smile. "I'm never going to be taken seriously unless I add grey into my hair."

It would be a lie to say she did not enjoy the uncomfortable expression on his face as the man who worked with teenagers and was probably quite good about guessing ages second guessed his initial impression.

"I'm actually waiting for someone. What about you?"

"Waiting on something." A call back on the job? He did seem to be here early, but maybe less vampire shenanigans sped that process up. Or maybe Isobel shouting her existence in the land of the living had. Tilting her head, Cynthia felt an actual burst of excitement when she caught sight of his ring. "Hey, _really_ weird question, I know. But… could I maybe take a picture of your ring?"

She tried to give him a winning smile, knowing how bizarre she had to sound but hoping her confidence carried her.

The school teacher looked from her to his hand then back. "Sure?" He answered hesitantly. "What for? It's just an old family ring."

"The design looks familiar," Cynthia confided completely truthfully, then elaborated with a lie. "I'm curious if I've seen it in a book somewhere." Pulling out her phone, she snapped a (poor quality, damn but she missed her old phone) photo of his hand, then smiled again. "If I remember correctly, it might be something like snowdrop. Sorry, I'm Cynthia, by the way."

"Alaric Saltzman." His eyes seemed to weigh her, possibly deciding if she would be a problem student or what was even going on, but Cynthia was happy enough to extend her hand and shake his firmly. "It's a pleasure, and thanks for indulging me."

Her babbling didn't faze the man in the least, and he actually seemed a little curious despite possible misgivings. "What's snowdrop for then?"

"Oh! For good luck, of course." It had been in the movie Stardust anyway. She clasped her hands in front of her, holding tightly to her phone so she'd know when Damon announced his arrival. "I'm pretty interested in the more," her voice dropped an octave and she half whispered the next word, "mythological aspects of history. Not everyone gets that."

"Well, I'd make for a pretty poor history teacher if I didn't encourage interest where I found it."

Pouncing on his verbal admission, Cynthia pressed, "You're going to take over for Tanner then? Excellent. I'm sick of learning football plays."

He half laughed. "I hope so. I'm waiting on the HR department to finish 'verifying all of my references'. Which… who knows how long that will take. So.. that leaves me here."

"Waiting on the system, huh?" She glanced down briefly at her phone, then frowned minutely. "Wait.. did you say your name was Saltzman?"

"Yeah, it's Germanic, actually, although I was born and raised in Boston."

"No.. no I mean… as in Isobel?" Cynthia took a step back as her brows knit together in her best attempt at flustered confusion before turning back to the table she had been sitting at previously. Elena and Stefan had vanished. Bonnie was with Luka, and Damon… was charming Caroline.

She really hadn't thought this 'Let's poke Alaric with a stick' plan through very well. She had honestly just wanted a distraction. Now she just wanted to flee with her tail tucked between her legs.

"How do you know Isobel?"

The desperation in his voice was so earnest, that Cynthia sighed. He had let her take a photo of his ring. And he hadn't even made a big deal when she confirmed his initial guess was right and she was underage. Fine.

"She was on the news a few days back. The local station, I mean. I don't think word left town. I don't think she has either." She didn't personally care one way or another, but Jenna would probably have wreaked destruction and hellfire on Logan Fell if they had more unethical journalists poking their nose in the Gilbert family business.

Andie, Cynthia had noticed, didn't say a single word on the whole 'adoption scandal'. Some people knew what loyalty was.

Damon slid to Cynthia's side, wrapping a supporting arm around her before Ric could ask anything else. "Sorry it took me so long, darling. I had to wish the birthday girl a good night.

Turning her head slightly, she caught the perpetual 22 year old's eyes and grinned. "This is the friend I was waiting on, by the way. Damon, meet Alaric Saltzman. Alaric, meet my BFF," she introduced them with a dreamy voice, purposefully ignoring the human male's tension. Damon wasn't that kind, greeting Ric with the same creepy cheerfulness he had been using on Elena that night. "Any relation to Isobel?"

If looks could kill… well, Damon was actually already dead.

"That's what I said!" As if he hadn't heard. Alaric looked a little grey around the edges now. She wasn't sure if he was sick or angry. The man had spent two years trying to be able to hunt down and kill Damon, or vampires like him anyway, hadn't he? So it was probably anger.

Maybe?

His eyes were lowered, almost as if he were dismissing them – which was an impressively gutsy move to play when Damon was interested in you. But Alaric seemed very aware of their presence. There was a slight flicker under his eyelashes when Damon led Cynthia a few steps back from Ric's table.

"Are you?" Cynthia added a plaintive note to her voice, succeeding in coaxing the man's attention again, but only for a short moment before he stood and excused himself, saying he hoped to see her in class soon.

Grumbling on the way out of the restaurant, she poked Damon's side. "You didn't have to give him that 'I would cheerfully murder you and scatter your ashes' smile."

"Oh please, that's the normal smile I give humans."

She huffed a little. "But Ric isn't just any human. He's your future bestie and drinking buddy."

"You realize I already _have_ a bestie, right?" Damon mocked back, unimpressed.

Cynthia put a hand on her hip, but her asshole best friend grabbed it instead. "You can have more than _one_ , Damon. It's not against the rules."

"If you say so," he brushed a kiss across the back of her knuckles. "If the man can forgive me for Turning his wife, I am confident that he can forgive me for _smiling_ at him weird."

She glared at him for four and a half seconds, then sighed, giving the argument up as a bad job. "You are impossible sometimes."

"That's why you love me."

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 _Shorter chapter this time, sorry friends. I have one more chapter prepared, but I'm hitting a mental wall a bit. No amount of self care is helping me right now, and when I do manage to write, my mood completely contaminates Cynthia's. I'm trying to avoid that as best I can._

 _I update you on Tuesday if I know that I will be late._


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** **This chapter is for AngelicSailor (and for all of my other fellow Elijah fans.) And yes, I have heard the request for a Damon POV in the future. After all my pleas not to get him jealous. ;)**

 **I will be taking a week off from my current publishing schedule of Tuesdays and Saturdays. Just a week, not a year and a half again, pinky promise.**

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* * *

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Straightening his cufflinks, Elijah waited patiently for his current guest to finish selecting her own outfit. While their current living arrangement was not one that was sustainable long term, Isobel was far too useful to leave on her own unwatched. Naturally, he had compelled her loyalty for this venture. His possible little Seer had been certain that Klaus would, and two contradicting compulsions would not hold. It also helped lessen the exchange of favors at play in this tiny little town. Assisting the Martins and young Cynthia in their bid to reunite with family was more than enough alliances just now.

Isobel Saltzman nee Fleming was a vampire who kept her emotions off and practically dripped black and stolen jewelry. While she was useful, she wasn't impressive, merely tolerable for her skills. She had attempted to negotiate with him, an attempt he had shut down quite forcefully. He knew what she had to offer, and would address it should he truly need to do so. Elijah knew that he had a better idea than she did on where the moonstone was, where the local proto werewolves were, and he already had someone in mind for the vampire sacrifice. Elijah had briefly contemplated compelling the woman to turn her humanity back on, so she would at least _act_ remorseful during the mediation meeting.

He discarded that idea as unnecessary.

In order to cultivate the idea of meeting on common, neutral ground, he had procured the use of the Lockwood home. As it turned out, the Mayor was a very agreeable man given relatively little persuasion. He'd directed the invested parties of the Gilbert family to meet him there offhandedly that morning, assuring this John Gilbert that the DNA results were in and that therefore there was no more reason for them to delay. It was a tedious display regardless what way you looked at it; Isobel had informed him of precisely who the father of her twins were.

The Lockwood Manor was a splendid example of a well kept plantation home that had never forgotten its roots, just painted it over with more white paint as if that absolved it of anything. It glittered with its own self importance, opulence diverting the eye as an answer to all questions. They were useful, however, and they had decent taste in clothing and drinks. That much, he could give them.

As the supposed neutral third party, Elijah waited outside of the house and greeted both John and his twin daughters, thanking them for taking the time to meet.

"Mrs. Saltzman is just upstairs," he gestured casually towards the house as he surveyed the group. "Is this everyone joining us today?" After the rather pointed threats Cynthia's Salvatore guard dog had attempted to deliver, he had fully expected to see both boys here today, clutching the hands of their respective interests. He was not particularly aggrieved to discover he was being spared that as the young Elena shook her head, holding onto her twin with a death grip. "Very well. Right this way then."

He entered the room after the sharp eyed father and both daughters. Closing the door behind them, Elijah gave the room a small, tight lipped smile. "Shall we?"

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* * *

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"Hello John." Isobel's voice rang out in a delightfully annoying way. It was pleasant to share the grating experience with others. "Elena, Cynthia," the woman continued. "Look how much you've grown."

Neither of the girls seemed pleased with that comment, although the doppelganger was clearly curious, leaning in towards the woman with blown pupils and palpable fascination. The shorter girl claimed a seat first, remaining passive as her twin claimed the next seat and grasped her hand in a clear bid for support.

Elijah pulled out the relevant sheets of paper from a folder and held them up towards the Gilbert trustee. "Do you really need to see these to verify maternity, Mr. Gilbert?"

A wince, side glance to the teenagers, and the man shook his head minutely. "That we do not. The girls are old enough to decide where they want to live, however. I'm not sure what the point of this conversation could be. Why would they leave the only home they've ever known, after all?"

"A change of scenery could be good. Home that doesn't remind them constantly of the people they lost, perhaps?" The woman's dark eyes held her former lover's tightly. "I'm aware of the feeling, perhaps you might be as well."

"We can't just leave Jeremy." His own attention jerked sharply towards the doppelganger at the familiar sound of her voice, even the inflections were familiar. Reminding him of Katerina, when she had smoothed out the Bulgarian pronunciation from her accent. "But I – " she glanced to her twin who squeezed her hand, "we would like to get to know you."

"Excellent. We could start with weekends, move to weeks." Isobel preened, steamrolling over John's protest with finesse.

Cynthia, whom he had never seen so quiet, finally spoke up. "I already told Uncle John that I don't want to leave Mystic Falls this year. Is that going to be a problem?"

"No, no of course not. It will make sharing custody with your father easier after all, at least until you can decide which of us is actually the best choice for you."

Elena did not disappoint. "I'm sorry, our what?"

Even if the matter should have been obvious, shock or denial had clearly been working hard on the little doppelganger's mind. But she would be in his custody, more or less, for longer and longer periods. An agreement that she would not find as easy to get rid of as she may later want, as both Isobel and John read over and signed an agreement form he'd filled in with relevant information. John seemed wary of him, but Elijah kept his expressions mild. The man might end up being useful at some point, so he wouldn't antagonize him. But once the girls got to know their birth mother, it was really only a few surprise house inspections with negative results that could rip both twins into his custody full time if necessary.

As it was? He and Isobel had a home that only he and herself would be invited into by the human owner, where she could play mother to the twins as he handled other preparations. One of which he handled now, as the young family squabbled. Elena's vehement protestations made an excellent moment for him to exit and fetch an item of importance from a safe while the Lockwoods were giving them space.

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* * *

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"Was everything handled peacefully?"

Elijah straightened out his suit with a quick flick, looking up to the Lockwoods at the woman's question as the two re-entered their home. He was currently standing at the top of the stairs, not far from the room the Gilberts were in, although he left his post briefly to speak to their hosts. "I think we've made a fantastic start, thank you both for allowing us to use your home."

His expression remained bland as Carol chattered about how much the Gilberts had done for them, and how they, of course, felt it their personal and civic duty to help the twins to the best of their ability. Elijah assured them that, fortunately, he didn't believe they would have to press forward with Mrs. Saltzman's initial claims. The Gilbert trustee seemed willing to be reasonable.

"It's good to see a family getting along so well. Makes me nostalgic for mine." Elijah gave the pair a dry smile. Klaus had a way of making the quibbling he'd heard from the Gilbert family sound positively loving. The hybrid favored his threats of daggering and death to anyone marginally close to his siblings, and he always managed to deliver them with a rather unhealthy amount of glee.

"Do you have children?" Carol's question might have been simple curiousity, but her prying felt more deliberate. "I didn't see a wedding ring," she added, "but I realised I never did ask about you and your family. For all that we've told you so much about ours."

Elijah let the silence hang between them just long enough for the woman's husband to get antsy. Richard seemed to have a truly terrible grasp on his temper, and his smile now was more of a grimace. "No, but several siblings. I'm hoping to see my brother soon. He's always chasing after something," he replied evenly.

"That sounds like Richard's brother. He's always off needing to find the next wave."

"You have a brother?" How fortuitous. Elijah's eyes crinkled slightly as he smiled again. " I'd love to meet him. You and your family have been an absolute pleasure to get to know."

Richard shifted from foot to foot. "He hasn't visited in a few years." _Five_ , Elijah heard Carol mutter. No matter. He'd lure the man to town on one pretense or another. It was simply pleasant to do so without resorting to violence. "It never hurts to ask." Elijah clapped the man on the back briefly, then excused himself to interrupt the Gilberts and go fetch Isobel before she rose anymore to John's goading. Their voices had raised even louder by now, as if they wanted to air their dirty laundry to all and sundry.

" _How could you go behind my back like this, Isobel? How could you go to Elijah of all people, this wasn't part of the plan. None of this was part of the plan."_

" _The plan wouldn't have worked, John. It took some time for me to see that, but this is the best way for everyone."_

" _For everyone? Or for you? God, Isobel, how much of you is even_ _ **left**_ _?"_

Elijah paused in front of the meeting room door, marveling at their utter stupidity in talking like this in front of the girls, even if it was in a whisper. Knocking once, he let himself inside the room as Elena whispered quietly, "What plan?"

The room fell quiet within a moment of his entry, a brief period of peace that Elijah quite enjoyed.

"I trust that you have come to an agreement?"

John, simmering anger and distrust in every line of his stance, jerked his head in agreement. "Isobel will visit with the kids after school this week and take them home this upcoming weekend. Elena apparently already has plans this weekend."

"Making up with her boyfriend," Cynthia interrupted with a teasing grin that did not meet her eyes. She didn't seem to notice her sister's censuring glare.

Isobel took over, "But that gives me time to stock up on their preferred foods. Elena said she'd help me go shopping tomorrow."

"Excellent. It's so nice to see a family rediscovering itself. As a friendly reminder, I'll be checking on both of your homes to ensure that you are providing a healthy home environment for your girls." Elijah turned towards the twins, meeting Cynthia and Elena's eyes. "After all, we all want to keep them safe."

Cynthia's eyes laughed up at him while her sister shifted, squirming under the scrutiny. He had caught a variety of looks from the young Elena, and every time he found himself comparing her to the other Petrova's he had known. Her defiance of authority to protect her loved ones. _Tatia._ The wide eyed look of surprise when he had been present to hear her tiff with her guardian Jenna. _Katerina_. Her suspicion and unease now wasn't quite Katherine, she was far too vulnerable for that. Elena kept shifting her attention towards Isobel, gravitating to her mother with a visible longing he was all too happy to capitalise upon. Cynthia drifted more towards John. Which was fascinating, considering the girl had insisted her family was not here in this dimension.

How very curious. He would have to be sure to visit and get an explanation on the girl's behaviour. While, in an actual case, Elijah most likely would not have been able to both represent Isobel, play mediator of sorts, and then again follow up as if he were a court appointed case worker. It was lucky then, that Elijah had no intention of playing lawyer in an actual courtroom without need.

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* * *

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The afternoon saw Elijah outside the Martin home. This time, he knocked rather than breezing inside. The Martins were both actually home, and courtesy never went amiss. Particularly with witches and warlocks who could make things terribly inconvenient should they choose to do so.

"Elijah." Jonas answered his knock quite promptly, he was only working as needed for the hospital here. It helped justify the family's move somewhat, along with the fact his daughter had gone missing, of course, and he wanted to give his son a clean slate. "I take it the meeting went well."

"Much as expected. I have the moonstone."

Dr. Martin stepped back to allow the vampire in, and Elijah readily crossed the threshold.

"All you need now is a werewolf," Jonas observed, studying the Original steadily. "When are you planning on allowing your brother to find out about the doppelganger?"

"When I have all of the variables accounted for," he responded agreeably. "Is your son here?" There was a pause, and he only had to read the man's expression to know his answer, so he continued promptly. "Excellent. I'd like a word."

It took a few moments, but Luka made an appearance promptly, if an ill at ease one.

"Ah, Luka. A little bird told me you've befriended the young Bennett witch." Elijah conscientiously kept his body posture relaxed as father and son visibly evaluated their decision in front of him.

"Bonnie's great, yeah," the boy answered, drawing each syllable out unnecessarily. "I met her my first day. She helped me find the main office so I could get my schedule, and we really hit it off."

Elijah inclined his head slightly. "I would expect nothing else, as your father's son, than for you to take an interest. What have you learned?"

"That she only found out recently she was a witch. Her grams is a lush, but she's learning now. Simple things, manipulation of fire and wind, but she has a lot of promise."

"Her mother isn't teaching her?"

Luka shook his head, unable to account for where the mother was or if she even had powers now that the subject came up. Bonnie Bennett did not like to speak of her mother, it would seem. Elijah filed a mental note on that away with a slight clench of his jaw.

"I suppose I'll have to visit her 'Grams' myself. I don't suppose you know how I could contact her?" The question was mostly rhetorical, but Luka did, as it happened, have an answer. "Bonnie gave her phone number to Cyn. You're playing her caseworker now, maybe you can get it from her."

"Or," Jonas interjected, giving his son an inscrutable look, "he might simply visit her at Whitmore College. I looked up Bonnie after you introduced us at the Mystic Grill."

That last sentence was apparently an explanation to his son, as it held no relevance to Elijah, and he frankly didn't care.

"That aside," the father continued, "who exactly is Cyn?"

"Cynthia Gilbert," Luka shrugged. "The other girl I introduced you to. Remember?"

Dr. Martin's lips thinned. "The one who felt like the void?"

"Void?" Elijah cut off whatever argument might have started, not particularly in the mood to wait it out. "I'm unfamiliar with the concept."

Luka contemplated the answer as Dr. Martin drew himself up and sent his son back up the stairs to complete his homework, assuring Elijah that it had nothing to do with their mission for Klaus, seeming to regret even mentioning the term.

Elijah waved it off, recognizing the man's desire for them not to have any distractions. He was a deeply focused and driven man; traits that had served him well all his life in both professions, Elijah had no doubt. He would simply have to add to his questions for the Bennett matriarch.

"Why are you so interested in the Bennett line?"

The vampire shrugged elegantly. "The same little bird told me Bonnie's mother managed to dessicate an Original, all on her own. That's a _fascinating_ skill, don't you think?"

He crossed the foyer back to the door, leaving the warlock to ponder. Jonas had been rather insistent on the matter of finding a witch burial ground he was certain was in the area. "I understand you believe that any witch would consider the cause of subduing Klaus to be worth the risk to their life channeling so much magic would cost, but as they say," Elijah smiled flippantly as he turned the door knob. "Waste not; want not."

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The plan had been rather simple. Acquire blood, return to speak with Isobel, then track down a method to speak with Bennett tomorrow and be done for the day. The first step had been perfectly simple, but he had been waylaid before returning to Isobel by a couple out for a stroll in the gloaming. A couple that he happened to recognise on sight.

Stefan Salvatore and the newest Petrova doppelganger.

"You _have_ to believe me, Elena."

"I do. I do! But I don't understand what Damon has to do with any of this. Why you freaked out when you saw Bonnie's new necklace at the Grill tonight, and what Zach has to do with any of it."

"Bonnie's necklace is a talisman. It was Katherine's. She was wearing it the night she died. How could Bonnie have gotten it?"

"She said Cyn brought it to her after the Heritage display. Maybe Mrs. Lockwood gave her permission."

"Or maybe Damon sent her."

"Why would he do that? Why would he care about a necklace… talisman, sorry."

"Why does he do _anything_ , Elena? I don't know. I just know it has to have something to do with Katherine. I'll find a way to get answers out of him. Zach might be able to help. He doesn't trust Damon either, and he wants to help us figure out what his game is."

"Everything is about Katherine or Damon with you."

Elijah walked forward a little louder at the doppelganger's grumblings, deciding he had listened in long enough. Purposefully snapping a log, he watched with some amusement as Elena went from an unhappy, jealous attitude to melting against her vampire suitor for protection.

"Fascinating." He watched a pair of green and brown eyes sharpening towards him as Elijah walked fully into visual range, even for the human. "I warned both sets of guardians that I would be checking up on you, and yet immediately thereafter, you go off into the woods with…" He gestured loosely with one hand. "No protection? The same woods I understand a couple died in last month?"

He sighed, visibly disappointed in the follies of youth.

"Am I to understand this is what your current guardian allows you to do?"

"Jenna has nothing to – " Stefan cut Elena off, placing an arm in front of her protectively. "She's in no danger," he insisted earnestly. "We went for a walk, that's all. Why are you even out here?"

Elijah raised an eyebrow slightly at the impertinence, then glanced away from the boy's glaring green eyes. "I'm a fan of history in all its forms. This town has so many different founding stories that it's drenched in it."

"What do you mean?" Elena's voice was soft, appealing in its innocence. "There's only the one founding story, isn't there?"

"Is there?" He smiled politely, then dismissed them. "I'd suggest you make it home before the sun completely sets, Miss Gilbert. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you. Ms. Saltzman expects both you and your sister in one piece when you visit tomorrow."

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 _I have a rough outline for major events, but is there anything anyone wants to see in particular? I will do my best to accommodate._


End file.
